One Step Closer
by spacecoastbabe15
Summary: Michael is shocked and now he has to chose between the one thing he wanted most...and the greatest thing he's ever found.....COMPLETE!
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with Prison Break or any of its contents. I do not own any of its characters or character information.

A/N: I'm back! This time with a series! I came up with this book a few nights ago when me and my co-author were on my couch late one night thinking of a plot which soon turned into a series. This series is based on if Michael never escaped with his brother. It will be set in 2009 after Michael finished his sentence for attempted robbery. The first chapter may be a little tricky due to the flashbacks but it is all worth it. So please sit back and enjoy!

------- Fox River State Penitentiary --- (5 years after Michael was incarcerated) ------------

"Mr. Scofield you are released." The 'pope' said looking into Michael's blue eyes until he saw a feint raging fire burn through his own eyes. "Are there any last words you would like to express sir?" The warden looked at Michael then over to the empty desk chair of his office.

"The only thing I would like to say to anyone in this hell is goodbye." With that Michael grabbed his small paper sack of belongings into his arms and walked away from the warden.

Scofield looked around the penitentiary once more and thought of the many cold nights he spent under that very roof. The paper sack began to tare at the side which created a small struggle for the tattooed man. He looked into the small window of the execution room and looked back toward the warden's office. A small tear gathered into his left eye until it fell and dropped onto the very floor Lincoln took his final steps upon.

"Sir, I need to escort you out of the prison. Please follow me." A thin black guard said grabbing the side of Michael's arm as he attempted to pull Michael down the hall way. "Sir, you must be leaving now…"

"I remember that very day. It was a spring day in the courtyard and I was called out by Doctor Tancredi. At first I thought it was just for my routine shot so I was exited in a way. Any time spent with that woman was a gift from god. But this was no ordinary visit…it would be the day I witnessed my brother dying…" Michael's eyes began to shut as the memory of that very day arrived in his memory.

_Flashback…5 years ago on May 11, 2006_

"_Michael I need you to come with me." Bellick said grabbing the sleeve of Michael's medium blue prison uniform. He guided the young man into a secured room in the prison. _

"_Where am I going?" Scofield questioned as his hands grew sweaty and the expression on his face became stern and more intense. His eyebrows were crooked and his entire body was damp from the sweat build up. _

"_Today is the day we cook your brother Scofield." With a sleight chuckle Bellick sat the tattooed man onto a chair just outside of the glass window where Lincoln was visible._

_Lincoln appeared to be quite nervous as a pair of prison guards strapped him to a black leather electric chair in the middle of a completely white room. With his blood shot eyes he noticed Michael in the front room holding back the tears. He smiled and lifted his hand from the arm of the chair just enough to send a small wave to his younger sibling. Sara entered the room and signaled for the guards to leave the area immediately. She sat her tiny frame in a small stool beside Lincoln. The smile from her face sent a warm sensation up Lincoln's stone cold body. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed Michael fidgeting with his hands in anticipation of the moment. _

"_How are you holding up Lincoln?" Sara looked down at the small silver tray in front of her then back toward the sorry face of Linc. She smiled once more and lifted her body away from the seat. _

"_I…I'm doing fine…I can't say as if I'm any better than the next guy being executed…" Burrows looked into Sara's eyes and winked which sent a warm feeling deep into his heart. He watched Sara close the row of black curtains from the large viewing window and turned back toward Lincoln. "Could you do me a favor?"_

"_Sure anything…within reason of course…" The young doctor looked down at Lincoln's hand and folded hers inside his friendly. She tilted her head upward and smiled. "…anything Lincoln…"_

"_Could you just tell him that I love him and tell him to take care of LJ and make sure that he is alright? Please tell him that…" With a tiny tear building in his left eye he looked up at the young woman and cracked a smile. "Tell him that dad never meant to leave us…" Burrows eyes soon fled with crystal tears as did his white gown shirt. The tiny tear spots on his shirt allowed a draft enter his heated body. _

"…_Yeah…I'll tell him…I'll tell him everything…I promise you that Lincoln." Sara grabbed a tiny pair of tan rubber gloves and slipped them over her long red finger nails. The syringe haunted her with great amnesty and a rather corrupted anticipation of its future use. "Are you scared?" _

"_I would be lying to you if I said no." Linc smiled and curled his fingers into his fists on top of the wooden arm rest. He watched Sara fill the syringe with morphine and other medications in which he wasn't familiar with. "When Michael was a young boy he told me that he was afraid of the monster lurking in his closet. I told him that monsters weren't real and that it was fear. I also explained to him that fear wasn't real and that fear was made up of nothing but air…not even air really. I told him that he finally had to face his fear of the monster and open his closet then at that very moment that monster would disappear. Now it is time to face that very same fear…this time…that fear is mine…"_

"_You don't have to face that fear by yourself Lincoln…" The young woman grabbed an antibacterial wipe and brushed it across his arm. The coldness of the wipe sent a tiny shiver against Lincoln's arm allowing goose bumps to fill his arms and neck. "I'll be here Lincoln…I'll be here the entire time…I promise…"_

"…_No Sara…you can't watch this…I wouldn't want you to be subjected to seeing my death Sara. My brother is waiting for you Sara…" Lincoln's face cringed at the sight of the long needle in the hands of Sara's right hand. He watched the long metal needle come closer into his arm until a sudden tingling sensation reached his nerves. "…Tell Michael I…tell him…tell LJ…I…love them…"_

"…_I will…" Sara rubbed Lincoln's arm until his eyes slowly closed leaving behind a tiny trail of crystal tears. She reached into her lab coat pocket and pulled out a small cloth. With that very cloth she wiped the tears from his face and signaled for the penitentiary personal to come in. "He is ready…"_

_Sara looked at Lincoln's face one last time and gave him a tiny peck on the cheek followed by a tiny smile. The personal soon fled the entire room as she watched them place a rather bulky helmet over his shaven head. She opened the glass door and turned back to Linc one last time and smiled. Outside the white execution room was Michael pacing the entire room until he stopped and looked at Sara. The young doctor ran toward Michael and slid her tiny frame against his body. At that very moment everyone in the room heard the slight sound of a silent man's death._

"Michael…Michael…wake up dude…" The officer grabbed Michael's arm and helped him up from his floored position. "I have to escort you out now…"

"He was there…right in front of me…that very day he was right there and they wouldn't even let me wave goodbye. Now my only brother is six feet under in a cemetery god only knows where it is. I was his brother…his only brother…" Scofield grabbed his small paper sack and continued down the long narrow hallway to the corridors. He glanced back to the wooden chair and turned away. "

"A copy of your release papers will be sent to your filed street address…" The agent waved goodbye to Michael and jogged back inside the prison with a bit of a hop in his jog. Almost a feeling of happiness fled his face as he went back inside the rather large building.

Michael took another glance at the large brick structure and rolled his eyes. A fiery rage filled his blue eyes as the thought of his brother continued to flash in his mind like an old silent movie rolling over and over until it finally breaks and fades away. He found a small corner stop where a city bus was picking up civilians and released inmates for a small fee. Grabbing his tiny paper sack he headed toward the blue and white greyhound bus and handed the driver a quarter to drop him off at the next stop.

On the way to the next stop Michael saw a little girl with bright red hair and a smile that lit up the entire bus. He sat his bag underneath his seat and smiled toward the little girl. The young girl gave Michael a crooked smile and continued drawing in her tiny bugs bunny coloring book. His eyes watched the little girl color in the lines of her favorite coloring book. He noticed the obvious passion and technique she had towards coloring. Suddenly her tiny red crayon slipped out of her pink painted nails and onto the floor. Scofield quickly grabbed the crayon from the floor and sat it inside her sixteen pack of crayons.

"Thank you mister…" The young red head blurted out in a tiny voice still concentrating on her drawing. She took a quick glance of the grubby tattooed man and giggled. "I think your mommy needs to give you a bath…my mommy always says that good hy…" She paused another moment to finish coloring bugs bunny's ear.

"…hygiene…?" Michael added picking up an orange crayon in hopes he could color the carrot in which bugs bunny was holding onto ever so tightly.

"Yup…What's your name mister? My name is Jenny Folger…but my mommy calls me Jen so I guess it's okay if you call me Jen too!" The young girl looked at Michael and watched him color in the carrot with great intensity filling his half closed blue eyes.

"I'm Michael by the way…Michael Scofield…" Scofield smiled and continued coloring in the bright orange carrot until the lines were completely filled and full of bold color. He tapped her tiny nose with his crayon and smiled.

"What was that for mister…mister Scofield?" Jenny looked up at the tattooed man with beaming eyes of admiration. She pulled her tiny crayon box away from the side of her seat and put all of her crayons in the correct order according to her vision of the rainbow.

"How old are you Miss Folger?" Michael looked down at the cute child and awaited her answer to his much anticipated question.

"I'm five…how old are you?" The young girl held up five tiny fingers indicating her age. She counted her fingers silently to make sure she had five held up. A smile appeared amongst her face when she realized she counted correctly.

"I'm 34 years young…" With a chuckle Michael attempted to raise enough fingers but looked down at the young girl and smiled. "I wish I had enough fingers to show you my age but it looks like to me I only have enough for ten years…sorry…"

"That's okay, I understand you're old…it happens to the best of us…" Jenny put her crayons and coloring book into a book bag lying underneath her seat and zipped it up. She looked out of the window and began writing her name in the thick fog that covered the windows.

"Where are your parents?" Scofield questioned looking around the bus for a sign of her guardians but had no such luck. In the front seats were a rather old couple in their 90's and in the back of him were two teenage kids resting on each others shoulders.

"Their in front of us dummy…That is my dad and that is my mom…" The red head giggled at Michael's stupidity and flicked his tattooed arm. Suddenly she bumped her head on the seat in front of her when the bus came to a screeching holt. "…"

"Well, it looks like our time is up Miss Folger…I'll see you again someday…" Michael picked up his bag from underneath his seat and lifted his body away from the seat. Just then he felt a tiny hand reach his and before he knew it there was a tiny picture of bugs bunny beneath his grasp.

"It's for you mister…and please call me Jenny mister…" Jenny smiled and let go of his hand.

"Bye Jenny…" Scofield placed the tiny picture into his paper sack. The bus opened the two matching glass doors and Michael stepped out then waved goodbye to Jenny. Smiling through the window he saw a tiny hand wave goodbye to him. "Bye Jenny…" Michael whispered beneath his breath as he began walking through Lincoln Park.

The young tattooed man placed his small sack inside his grey Fox River hoodie and began walking throughout the park. Beneath a tree stood a rusty old park bench in which Michael sat his exhausted body upon. The small song of the birds filled Michael's ears bringing a faint smile to his tired body. In the distance he watched a small couple with a couple kids play football in the park. He began staring at the family until a familiarity filled his face.

…_I know her…but where? Damn Michael, your such an idiot…where have I seen her…? Let's see, I've been in jail for the past…five years…so where have I…wait…that is Sara…but who is the guy beside her and since when did she have kids…?_

Scofield watched Sara and her family interact as they played a questionable game of intense family football as Michael was known to call it. In the family he noticed a young girl about Jenny's age with short dark brown pig tails and a younger boy with a blonde haired bowl shaped hair cut. Sara however looked like her normal self with hair that was meant for an angel. Her eyes were as dark as ever and the look on her face was content which was a rarity in Sara's life. The man now tackling the little boy was a clean cut man who was a lot shorter than Michael by far and had glasses as thick as Michael's grandpa's. Michael closed his eyes and a vision appeared.

_2 years prior to Michael's release…_

"_Michael I need you to sit down there for me now…you know the procedure after three years…" Sara let go of Michael's grip around her body and pointed to his usual chair near the window of the infirmary. _

"_Come on Sara…me and you both know my shot isn't as important as the love we have for each other Sara…" Michael grabbed her hand away from the clip board and placed a small delicate kiss just upon her right hand until she slid it from beneath his lips. _

"_Michael, I have to give you your shot now…" The young brunette grabbed the syringe from the silver plate placed upon the cabinet next to Michael. She flicked the end of it and placed it into Michael's right arm in the usual spot just above the tattooed angel. "After all, I won't be here come tomorrow Michael."_

"_Are you going on a vacation before we get married?" Michael joked looking at Sara awaiting Sara to roll her eyes toward him as usual. He grabbed Sara's tiny frame and pulled her in closer to his chest until she giggled. _

"…_No, I wouldn't do that to you Michael…I'm quitting…" Sara admitted placing her head into his broad shoulder until she could breathe the scent of his cologne strongly. _

"_Wait, you can't do this Sara…what about me? What about us Sara? I promised you I would be out soon all you had to do is wait and I'll pick up the slack…" Scofield lifted Sara's chin and smiled despite his worried blue eyes. _

"_I can't Michael…I've been offered a high paying job back in the city and I'm sorry Michael but I can't live my life waiting on something that may never happen." The young doctor pulled her body away from Michael and hopped on top of the back counter as a tear fell down her worried eyes. _

"_Sara, I'll fix everything. Just tell me what to do and I'll have it fixed. What are you afraid of Sara?" Scofield jumped off the medical chair and moseyed his way toward Sara and placed his torso against her crossed legs and lifted her chin. He placed a kiss gently on her lips and smiled. _

"_Michael, I'm afraid of not being with you…" Sara grabbed the side of Michael's face and kissed him passionately until it was hard for her to breath. A feint sigh was released as she released the kiss away from Michael and ran both of her hands up Michael's uniform and against his six pack. _

_Sara lifted Michael's shirt over his head and tossed it across the infirmary room landing on top of the medical clip board history of Michael. Michael slowly opened Sara's lab coat and removed the vials beside her body sending them crashing on the ground beside them. He looked down at the mess he created and pulled up her shirt slowly revealing her feint pink lace bra underneath her black shirt. She smiled and leaned against the window behind her. His arms slowly ran up her side and held her hands on top of the window as he watched her arch her back in enjoyment. _

"What the hell?" Michael opened his brown paper bag and reached for his cell phone toward the body of the bag. On the front screen the word 'Sucre' flickered on and off of the silver razor phone. "Hello?"

"Michael? I've run into some trouble and I need you to come and get me…" Sucre looked around a dead end road then back at his Chevrolet Cavalier smoking on the side of the road.

"Okay I'll be on the next flight. Where are you now?" Scofield looked around the park and saw no sign of Sara or any member of her new family. He looked down at his polished black jail boots and smirked.

"I'm in Tipp City, Ohio…" Fernando looked around the small town and chuckled a moment. The look on his face was a cross between concerned and full of laughter.

"Where at in Tipp City?" The tattooed man looked around the park one last time before he came to the conclusion that Sara wasn't coming back. He grabbed his sack and began walking around the park sidewalk with a phone in one hand and a ripped paper sack in the other.

"…Next to a cornfield? I have no idea Michael just get over here as soon as possible…" The Puerto Rican man hung up his cell phone and threw it through the window of his smoking car.

"Tipp City here I come…" Scofield said just under his breath as he walked up in front of an ATM and punched in his pin number.

---------------------------End of Chapter--------------------------------------------------------------

A/N: Well that was chapter one of book one. I hope you guys liked it! I worked rather hard at it and I hope it paid off in the end. I would of course appreciate and comments or suggestions. Thank you for reading a stay tune for chapter two!


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with Prison Break or any of its contents.

A/N: So, now it is chapter two and things are about to get very interesting. My co-author and I came up with this together so I hope you enjoy it!!

---------------------- Dayton Airport --------------------------- (12:01 a.m.) ----------------------

Michael grabbed a small brown sack from the overhead compartment of the airplane and began departing away from the aircraft. He was wearing his usual everyday outfit consisting of beige Dockers and a blue and white striped long sleeve Polo shirt complete with his clean black jail boots. Scofield moseyed his way through the thick glass doors and inside the airport. To the right stood many different groups of people with frowns filling their faces. On the left were three giant belt machines circling the mass of people near them.

The mass of people ventured their way toward their loved ones awaiting there arrival near the terminal. Michael admired a young blonde haired woman running into the arms of a soldier returning from his duty over sees. The soldier grabbed the young woman and held her in his arms hoping the moment would never end. The tattooed man walked past the couple and smiled. With a single glance he turned back to see the young couple kissing.

Outside the terminal were many different shops from various places around the 'Buckeye' state. From coffee café's to toy shops meant for the younger crowd Michael was dazed and confused as to where to go. To the left of him were a long row of stores and to the right were a long line of security personal and passengers waiting to board the planes. The expression on Michael's face told the entire story. He looked worried yet had a look on his face of anticipation as to what Tipp City had for him. Sliding glass doors began opening as many people fled the airport in hopes they didn't miss their flight.

With a single motion the doors opened for Michael allowing him to exit the airport safely with his paper sack in hand securely in the tight grasp of his long fingers. A single taxi was parked just to the side of the big airport. Scofield walked toward the passenger seat of the cab and crouched to face the driver eye to eye. The driver of the taxi was a middle aged Caucasian woman with long droopy blonde curls and red rimed glasses wrapped around her squinted eyes. Michael looked the woman in the eyes and looked to the ground.

"Do you need a ride sir?" The woman asked in a raspy manly voice as she watched Michael let of a small sigh or relief. She blew her nose into a tissue located beside her seat and threw it in the passenger seat waste basket on the floorboard.

"Yes ma'am." Scofield remarked placing his paper sack on the seat behind the driver. He scooted his own body behind the passenger seat and closed the door allowing the cool air to stay inside the yellow taxi vehicle. Unbuttoning the top few buttons he watched the woman stare at him in the rearview mirror. "I need to go to…" He paused for a moment to try and remember what his buddy Sucre had told him over the phone earlier that night.

…_Where the hell did he tell me to go? Something about a cornfield…? Shit, there are only corn fields in Tipp City…now what the hell do I do?...Better yet, where do I tell the driver to go?_

"Sir, where do you want me to take you?" The driver turned on to Main St. and looked back at Michael upon arriving at the single major intersection in Tipp City.

"Well, the friend I'm trying to help said he was next to a corn field but looking that the city is nothing but corn fields may present a problem in finding him…" Scofield examined the area around him and noticed a young couple with a child in the mother's arm. He let of a small smile underneath his voice and continued to look up the road at a small residential zone.

"…Sucre…?" The taxi driver turned down a small country street with a few rows of corn and a big red barn in the distance surrounded by herds of cattle and other farm like structures Michael was unable to identify.

"How did you know his name?" More intrigued Michael gently rubbed his chin and looked in the rearview mirror toward the middle aged woman with great intensity. His sleight blue eyes were glued on the settle expression of the taxi driver.

"Fred Johnson was talking about a stranded Puerto Rican man on the side of Johnson Road. He said the man was wearing a black hat, blue jeans and a shirt with a bunch of Mexican writing. Johnson told Thompson who told my papa and said he was looking for a Michael Scofield...and I figured that would be you. Between your fancy clothes and all them tattoos I knew I had to be right." The woman turned onto a slightly smaller back road with a rickety sign indicting they were now entering Johnson Road to beware of the deer.

Michael sighed and looked out the window at the plowed corn fields and farmers getting prepared for the next corn season. Between the tractors and many back hoes Michael realized at that very moment that Tipp City wasn't a city, it was a whole in the map in which nobody knew about. He glanced down at his boney fingers and saw tiny sweat molecules building up in his rather enormous bare hands. His face had a sort of expression that is merely indescribable. It was a toss between worried and anxious about what adventure he would have in store for him today.

On the side of the road he noticed a sliver steaming Cavalier with a pair of feet sticking out of the driver's seat window. Michael grabbed his small brown bag and waited for the car to come to a complete stop. The driver smiled and accepted Michael's small tip of twenty dollars then drove on down the road. Scofield smiled and put his aviators on along with a brown sack just below his arm. He leaned his own body against the driver's side door and peaked through the window. In the window he saw an exhausted Fernando and his love interest Maricruz resting on his shoulder.

"Sucre!" Michael yelled throwing a tiny pebble at the Puerto Rican man in hopes it would wake him up just enough without giving the man a heart attack. He began laughing as he watched Fernando jump out of his skin waking Maricruz as well. "Sorry…" Scofield lifted his body away from the side of the small Chevy and placed his hands over his hips.

"You can kill a man by doing that Michael…" Fernando looked down at Maricruz and smiled. "Sorry about that baby…it's just Michael's way of saying hello." With a slight smile Sucre kissed her on the forehead and lifted her away from his chest. He opened the car door and hugged Michael.

"It's nice to see you again…" Scofield patted his best friend on the back and admired the young woman in the car. "Is that Maricruz? Is that the woman who stole your heart man?"

"That is her…" The look on Fernando's face brightened as he took a glance at the dark haired Puerto Rican woman in the passenger seat of his vehicle. He winked toward her and broke himself away from Michael. "So, do you know anything about cars?" With that Fernando opened the hood of his silver car to release a thick layer of smoke around them.

"A little bit…" Michael placed his sack in the driver's seat of the car and walked over to Fernando. He looked under the hood for a moment and sighed. By the look on his face you could tell he was becoming frustrated.

"Didn't your dad teach you? Papi told me a little bit about cars but we were too poor to afford one at the time. Then Papi got involved with drugs and well…let's just say things went downhill from there…" The Puerto Rican man looked up at Michael and fixed the brim of his hat.

"My father was never around to show me. I met him once or twice and that was about it…" The tattooed man brushed his face against his shirt and smiled. "I blame him for everything including my inability to repair automobiles."

"You shouldn't blame yourself for what he did Michael. It wasn't his fault for you being put into jail Papi."

"Have you checked the oil yet?" Avoiding the conversation Michael began twisting the knob of the oil tank in order to check the fluids coming from the tank.

"Don't avoid it Michael and no I didn't check it yet…"

"I don't' want to talk about it." Scofield wiped the long metal rod of oil onto a towel from the road. He glanced at the disappointed look on the face of Sucre and shook his head. "Don't' worry about it Sucre, your car just needs some oil…"

"That's it Papi? Damn, I had some in the car all along man…" Disappointed and a bit pissed off Sucre grabbed a thin white bottle of motor oil from the already opened trunk of the car and brought it to Michael. "Do you need a place to stay tonight?"

"I think I'll manage but thank you. But I could use a ride to a hotel…" Michael poured the bottle of oil into the small oil tank of the silver Chevy and slammed the hood. "Thanks for the offer but I really don't have a place to go now that I'm free and without Linc. Now that I've lost both him and Sara my life has no meaning…"

Michael looked down toward the ground and contemplated his last statement. The words were almost too bad to be true but indefinitely the honest truth. He rubbed the top of his freshly shaven head and sighed. Sucre patted Michael's shoulder and entered his car next to Maricruz. Michael slipped into the back seat of the car and watched the fields roll by in hopes an inspiration for living would hit him.

------------------- Holiday Inn ---------------------------- (5:47 p.m.) ------------------------------

"Thanks for the ride Fernando. I appreciate it…" Michael grabbed his bag from the back seat and looked at Fernando. He hopped out of the car and watched Fernando roll down the car window.

"If you need anything you know where I live…" Sucre handed Michael a small sheet of paper with bold black writing on one side indicating his number and address. "Feel free to call me anytime Papi."

Michael turned to face the hotel and watched the small groups of people gather around the hotel in front of him. The hotel consisted of one rather small light blue building with dark blue trim around the middle of the long narrow structure. Scofield looked back at the smoke left behind by Sucre and shrugged. He smiled and walked up toward the hotel clerk counter. The tattooed man flung his sack on the counter and looked down at the tiny blonde receptionist.

"How may I help you sir?" The flirtatious young blonde strutted her body toward Michael with her hands just above the desk so that it was particularly easy to see down her shirt. She let off a tiny giggle and began to sway her body.

"…Do you mind pulling up your shirt young lady?" Scofield turned his head and watched a young couple cuddle on the bench just outside the hotel. His face turned slightly pale and his palms became sweaty within his own grip.

"Why? Does it bother you?" The blonde extenuated her cleavage openly to Michael and smiled. "I normally don't get that response from other guys…"

"I'm old enough to be your father young lady…" Michael turned to face the young woman behind the desk and smiled. He reached deep into his back left pocket and pulled out a black leather wallet with a Harley Davidson logo on the front of it.

"Fine, what can I do for you this afternoon daddy?" The receptionist placed her body back on top of her cushioned chair and began typing something into the computer in front of her. She turned to glance at Michael one last time before sighing.

"…Just a room for the night missy…" Scofield pulled out a blue and green credit card from the side pocket of his wallet and handed it to the blonde haired girl. He carefully watched her as she entered in the numbers correctly.

"Room 27…down the hall and to your left…checkout is at noon…enjoy." The receptionist handed Scofield the credit card and left the reception area soon after.

With a single shake of the head Michael put his credit card down into his pocket and grabbed the paper sack from the counter. He looked down the long hall of the hotel and turned left in order to find his hotel room. On the way he noticed a young teenage couple holding hands as the guy led her into the hotel room with a bouquet of roses. Michael continued walking down toward his room until he stumbled upon room 27. Inside the hotel room was a single queen size bed with the usual hotel floral bedding and a mint lying on both pillows. Scofield sat the bag on top of the small hotel sink and glanced in the mirror just above the sink.

…_You've really screwed up your life dude. What happened Michael? You use to be happy with the thought of Sara and saving your only brother but no you just had to go and fuck it up somehow. Nice going dude…_

Rubbing his bald head, Michael looked deep into the mirror to stare at nothing but him. His eyes grew to be an intense shade of blue contrasting to the paleness of his face. The reflection in the mirror brought a single tear to Michael's already pink eyes. He lifted his head up and moved his entire body away from the sink. Looking back in the mirror only allowed more rage to fill the body of the tall man.

Michael emptied the brown sack onto the side of the sink to expose possessions taken away by the guards at Fox River. Inside the sack was a shiny gold watch, a couple twenty dollar bills, socks, a blue and white tie and a silver Motorola Razor flip phone. Scofield placed the knick knacks back into the bag then sat it on top of the tiny closet near the toilet. He walked out of the bathroom and ran to jump on his big bed. The springs from the bed sank deep into the bed as the tattooed man began to close his eyes.

The light from the slightly opened curtains soon woke the young man up from his plentiful nap. Michael yawned and looked up at the alarm clock to find it being eight o'clock. Rolling his eyes, the tattooed man lifted his body away from the bed and looked at an ad standing on top of the alarm clock. He grabbed the colorful piece of paper and read it aloud.

"Live DJ tonight in the club at eight…be there or be square…" Michael read out loud to himself as a small chuckle entered in the sentence when he read the word square. He sat the board on the bed and grabbed his cell phone from the end table and left the room.

-------------------------- Club 937 ---------------------- (8:14 p.m.) --------------------------------

"Welcome to Club 937, I.D. please…" An extremely tall African American bouncer pulled his shades away from his face and waited for Michael to pull out his identification.

"…Here…?" Michael pulled out a thin I.D. card from his wallet and handed it to the enormous black man standing in front of him. He waited for the man to get done with his I.D. card and put it back in his wallet.

"…Have a good night Mr. Scofield…" The bouncer opened the door to the club and let only Scofield into the club doors behind him. As soon as Michael entered the club the man closed the doors and smirked.

The loud music playing in the back round made it hard for Michael to concentrate on anything in the room. In the distance he noticed a rather short figure controlling the DJ area of the club. He walked closer to where the DJ was walking and saw a familiar figure just beyond the table. The DJ was wearing dark denim baggy jeans with a blue and white Polo T-shirt. The many chains around his neck made it hard for Michael to identify the young man until the man smiled. Right then and there Michael knew at that very moment it was LJ.

"LJ!" Scofield yelled trying to grab the attention from his nephew but failing in the attempt. He yelled it once more and gave up completely.

Michael ran up to the DJ's headquarters and yelled LJ's name once more. Just then LJ turned to face the only other relative he had left and began to stare into the eyes of Michael blankly. The tattooed man smiled and put out a hand for a hand shake but was ignored by his only nephew. LJ glanced once more toward his uncle and stepped down from the turn tables.

"Do you need anything Michael?" LJ looked at Michael with a face of annoyance. He began to look around the arena and watched the people dance the beat of the song.

"No, now can you please go…you're not cool…" The young teenager looked up and down his uncle and shook his head. The chains around his neck created a glare in his eye that made it appear that Michael was wearing a dirty white shirt. "Haven't you ever heard of Tide?"

"Are you okay LJ?" Scofield questioned the young man and smiled. "I know that your father is gone but I'm here if you need me LJ…"

"I don't need you…I'll never need you Michael…You failed my father and I can't say as if you can help me now…" LJ began yelling at is uncle until a skinny man called him from the DJ stand. "I have to go now leave before you get shot…"

Watching his nephew leave brought a feeling of rage inside Michael's body. His hands became sweaty as the smile on his face soon turned into a look of anger and disgust. He looked back at LJ and left the club immediately. Soon he began walking back to room 27 where he found the very information board on top of the bed. He opened the back door and threw it out onto the parking lot. Without hesitating Michael walked back into his hotel room and took of his shirt soon following his pants. Now in just his boxers he rolled down the comforter and slipped his body deep underneath the covers.

…_I still love you Sara…I'd do anything for you…_

-----------------------End of Chapter------------------------------------------------------------------

A/N: Well, this is the end of chapter two. I promise things will get a bit more exiting in the next few chapters. I just wanted to make sure I don't start out the book to slow but that I also don't reveal all the secrets, lies, betrayals and joyful events too soon. Thanks for reading and I'll have chapter three up soon!


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with Prison Break or any of its contents.

A/N: Alright, I want to thank everyone for reading my book so far. I'm really exited about it so far. I have a lot in store for the rest of the book/series. I don't have any new updates so yeah…

**One Week, One Day Later…**

---------------------- Tipp City Hotel ----------------------------- (9:12 a.m.) ---------------------

"Damn kids, always in hotels screwing around with other girls they'll never meet again. I can't believe the news wonders why kids these days are involved with drugs…" A loud older man's voice pierced through the wall of the hotel bringing attention to Michael's ears.

Michael lifted his shaven head away from his pillow and turned to face the bright red numbers of his alarm clock. The time 9:14 was flashing brightly into his eyes which created a small glare in the darkness of the room. He smiled and opened the comforter from his body and slowly lifted his body away from the hotel bed and now sat vertically looking into the bathroom mirror which was visible from the bed. With a single hand he rubbed his head and placed his elbows on top of his knees to where his weary body was now more relaxed.

…_I loved her more than life itself and now I lost her…_

With a single planned out motion Michael lifted his body away from the floral bed and onto the green and blue carpets of the hotel room. His red and blue plaid boxers hung just below his six pack as he walked to the mirror of his so called bathroom. The mirror was one thing that still caused pain in the eyes of the young tattooed man. Sweat soon filled the creases of his body as the thought of Sara swam through his head like an old cinema on repeat.

…_She meant everything to me…_

He sat down in the slick corner of the bathroom and shoved his head down into the crevice of his folded arms that were located directly on top of his knees. The expression planted among the tattooed man was a toss up between lonely and happy that he was finally away from the visions and experiences of Fox River and its surroundings. Michael looked down at the ground in hopes to find another inspiration for living or even getting up off the ground would work for him.

"Sir, check out is in ten minutes due to an early closing for repairs. You must be out of the room in five minutes. Knock on the door if you understand sir." The same blonde receptionist screamed at Michael's door with her usual denim jeans and hotel shirt on her slim body.

Scofield stared at the wooden door to the right of his body and rolled his beautiful blue eyes toward the only ordinary door. He lifted his head away from his long arms and lifted his body from the hard hotel floor and walked toward the hotel door. With a single hand he slowly twisted the knob of the door to reveal the annoying blonde from about a week ago.

"I got the memo; I'll be out soon…" Michael examined the receptionist up and down until slamming the rather large wooden door in the face of the young blonde.

Michael looked around the hotel room and began filling up his pockets with his cell phone, watch and wallet. Leaving behind his other possessions he walked out of the hotel room and down the hall. Waiting outside the hotel was a yellow cab with a driver reading the periodicals in the newspaper. He knelt down to peer into the driver's seat to find a rather young African American taxi driver with a distinct tattoo of a cross on his right forearm.

"Where do you wanna go sir?" The young black man said as he continued to stare blankly out the window of his taxi. His hands were firmly planted around the sides of the steering wheel.

The tall tattooed man said nothing as he slowly entered the cab. He sat the brown sack in the seat beside him and looked out the side window at the hotel building in which he called home for about a week. The driver slowly cranked his neck toward Michael and smiled. Scofield smirked and began looking around the taxi windows for a particular building in which he couldn't find. Frustrated, Michael looked into the rearview mirror toward the driver and partially smiled.

"Do you know where the nearest apartment complex is?" Scofield looked down at his paper sack then back into the eyes of the skinny African American in the front seat.

"The only one in Tipp City is on Manchester out by Food Town…Is that the one you're talking about?"

"I guess…Could you take me there…?" Michael smiled.

"Yeah."

The driver placed the vehicle into drive and began driving down Main Street. Michael admired the town from a vacationer's point of view. Tipp City didn't seem to have much to offer in the eyes of Michael. There was a single grocery store on the corner, pharmacy directly across it and a couple fast food restaurants but nothing like Chicago. Tipp City had no large government buildings, no crowds in the middle of the street or even a single hot dog stand. There were no people on the streets, no tall buildings but most of all no excitement. Most of the people seemed sad in the eyes of Michael. The driver pulled into a driveway of an apartment for rent on 1536 Manchester Ave.

"Well, welcome to Tipp City sir…" The driver put the car into park and looked back at Michael.

"…Thanks…" Scofield answered softly. He picked up his bag from the back seat of the taxi and stared at the apartment building in front of him.

The building was a medium toned brick with white shutters on the front window. In the yard stood a 'For Rent' sign in which a realtor was standing right next to it. The apartment appeared to be clean from what he could see on the outside. Michael stared at the white painted front door and smiled.

"Good Afternoon Sir. Could I interest you in a walk through of this lovely apartment building?" A gray haired middle aged man walked closer to Michael and looked down at his tattoos that were directly exposed out of the white business shirt. "Wow, you must have a thing for tattoos."

"I guess you could say that. How much is rent each month in something like this?" Scofield shook the hand of the man in front of him and smiled.

"Well, this is a two bedroom standard apartment with an electric range, overhead microwave, newer refrigerator and standard kitchen island. The master bedroom has a spacious bathroom connected with a California closet built in the wall of the room. The second bedroom features a furnished bed and pillows excluding the show comforter. There is a living room that includes the furniture. The rent is roughly $350 a month excluding taxes." The man took a breath and smiled.

"I'll take it." Michael handed the man three hundred dollar bills from his wallet and smiled back at the rather old gentleman.

"Would you like to see it first sir?" The man accepted the money and placed it deep inside his right leg pocket.

"No." With that Michael grabbed the apartment keys from the realtor and began walking up the sidewalk and into the apartment room.

The apartment seemed like any other apartment building he had ever seen. A living room was firmly situated near the entrance of the apartment followed by a decent sized kitchen. Michael walked passed the kitchen in search of his new bedroom. The master bedroom had a king size bed already built into the wall beside the 'featured' California closet. Beside the giant closet was a built in average side bathroom as with any apartment. He turned to face the mirror on the wall and sighed.

_--------------------------------- Flashback from Fox River -----------------------------------------_

"_Michael, is that you?" Linc looked deep into the courtyard of the prison to find his only brother standing in the middle of the yard standing beside Sucre as he did so. _

"_Yeah Linc, it's me…" Michael swung his arms around his brother and hugged him. "It's always nice to see you…" He let go of Lincoln and smiled. _

"_It will be nice when we're in Mexico and sipping twenty-five cent beers with beautiful girls…that will be the day Michael…"_

"_Yeah, that will be the day Linc. I promise it will happen…" Michael looked deep into Lincoln's eyes and smiled. "I promise…" He repeated. _

_----------------------------------------- End of Flashback --------------------------------------------_

…_Damn it Michael you failed him…god damn it…_

Michael looked into the mirror then down at his continuously tightening fist lying against his side. He turned to face his reflection in the mirror as sweat began pouring down his face. With his tightened fist he punched the mirror creating a rather large crack in the bottom of the mirror. He whacked the mirror once more creating a small portion of the bottom to shatter in the sink below him. His knuckles soon turned bloody and hints of glass shards filled the skin between the knuckles. The light reflected the tiny shards creating a small rainbow on the wall next to the mirror.

…_Fuck…_

"God damn it Lincoln why couldn't I save you!?" Scofield slammed his fist against the wall behind him and a tear flew down his face faster than a stock car at the Indy 500. "Damn it Sara, why didn't you wait for me?"

The blood from Michael's bloody knuckles soon dripped onto the floor beside him and soaked deep into the rich tan carpets of the apartment. He quickly grabbed the rug from beneath the bathroom sink and applied pressure to his fresh wound. Some of the shards of glass began falling out onto the floor while others remained hidden beneath his skin. Michael grabbed a small pair of tweezers from underneath the sink and held them close to his wound. One by one he began pulling out the glass from between his knuckles followed by a few 'bad' words.

"Holy shit does that hurt!" Michael looked around the bathroom and screamed in sheer pain. "Fuckin' glass!" He screamed again and looked down at his now bruised hand.

Michael placed all the shards of glass into a small waste basket underneath the sink. He walked into the kitchen and looked inside the bare cabinets of his new home. Scofield shook his shaven head and slammed the cabinet door. Looking around the apartment he decided to open the front door and begin walking down Manchester Ave.

------------------------------------ Grocery Store ----------------------- (4:01 p.m.) ---------------

Scofield walked up to the grocery store on the end of Manchester Ave rightfully named 'Food Town'. A small chuckle left the mouth of Michael and a smile appeared on his now 'happy' face. In the window of the grocery store was a bright pink sign reading: 'Janitor needed apply within'. Entering the store brought back memories that took a toll on Michael whether he ever wanted to admit it or not. Beside the bread stand was a booth with a single white male working inside it accepting applications.

"Would you like to apply for the job sir?" The skinny white man looked at Michael's tattoos and smiled. "You'll have to cover the tattoos but we can manage. I'm Greg by the way…"

"Alright, what are the hours?" Michael sat down in the metal folding chair directly in front of the man called Greg. He looked around the rest of the store then down at the application in front of him.

"I'll have a schedule ready for you tomorrow…Do you have any experience with being a janitor?"

"No." Scofield answered plainly looking the man directly in the eyes.

"Well, we'll see you tomorrow then. Have a nice day sir…" The man stood up and reached a single hand in front of his body in hopes Michael would shake it. "I'll just need you to come in with the document completed and I'll add you onto the pay roll."

"Thank you sir." Michael grabbed the papers and began walking out and away from the building.

On the way back to his lonely apartment he noticed a slightly used Chevy Pick up truck for sale on the side of the road. He walked more toward the vehicle and peeked inside the windows. The truck had a leather interior and the exterior looked nice enough and was a rich midnight blue color. The reflection from Michael's face filled the hood of the car until a big shadow blocked the image of Michael.

"Are you interested in my baby? I've had her for two months but ever since I found out my wife was pregnant with twins I didn't find it to be a suitable mode of transportation for my young kids. Why you seem like a strapping young man. I tell you what, I'll giver her to you for a hundred dollars." The man looked at Michael and smiled. "Here are the keys." Tossing the keys the man began walking off toward his driveway.

"Sir, I didn't give you your money and you have to know that his truck is worth probably close to $50,000 dollars with all the adjustments you made to it…" Michael ran after the man in the drive way and looked at him.

"Have you ever seen the movie 'Pay it Forward'?"

"Yes, my nephew and I saw it a long time ago…"

"It is my turn…pass it on…"

Michael stared at a way in which no human being could compare that very look to any adjective in the English language. He watched the man walk up the drive way and enter his house. Scofield opened the truck door and put his new keys into the ignition. He placed the Chevy into drive and pulled away from that residential location. Driving he noticed something empty inside his heart. The thought of Sara had reached his mind again and hurt even more than before. He made his way back into the Food Town parking lot and stopped. On the dashboard was a ball point pen that helped Michael fill out his application. He lifted his body out of the lifted truck and entered the store. Michael dropped the application into the box near the door and grabbed a cart.

"Thank you." The manager shouted toward Michael and smiled.

"…Right…" Scofield turned back to see the manager and chuckled under his breath.

Scofield looked down each aisle in search of something easy to make that night. Down aisle two consisted of can goods of soup, vegetables and different kinds of fruits. Turning his cart down the aisle, he noticed a young woman at the end of the aisle. This woman had flawless dark chocolate brown hair and eyes that made it hard for Michael to concentrate. Her eyes were a mix between a beautiful ocean blue, sensuous green and a hazel like brown running through the two colors. She was wearing a pair of perfect fitting light denim jeans with holes in the knees and a T-shirt from a local gas station. Michael grabbed a can of chicken noodle soup from the soup section and heard a yell. The beautiful girl at the end of the aisle fell to the ground and grabbed her foot.

"Are you okay ma'am." Being the hero, Michael left his cart in the middle of the aisle and ran toward the dark brunette at the end of the aisle.

"Yeah, I'm fine I just dropped this stupid can of green beans on my foot. I hate green beans, I was going to make them for my sister but doing that good dead bit me in the ass in the end." The woman took off her flip flop and placed it delicately beside her body. She watched Michael as he knelt down beside her and hovered over her now bruised foot.

"Hold on..." Scofield quickly lifted himself away from the ground and jogged down the aisle then turned toward the other side of the store. He walked swiftly to the frozen food section and grabbed a frozen bag of vegetables. "Here, this should help." Michael wrapped the vegetable bag over her injured foot and smiled.

"Thanks. Wow that is ironic…" The young lady looked closer on the package to find that the vegetables in the bag were frozen green beans. "The package you got me contains green beans…" A slight giggle escaped her ruby red lips.

"Sorry…" Blushing Michael grabbed her foot and placed it on top of his lap so that it was easier to apply the pressure to her wound. Her toes wiggled as she began to giggle yet again. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing, I just…never mind…" The woman looked down at her red painted toe nails and wiggled her feet once more.

"Come on you have to tell me what is so funny ma'am…" Scofield smiled and looked deep into her mixed colored eyes and watched the young woman stare into his glassy blue eyes.

"Please call me Nicki…and I'm laughing because you're a complete stranger and you're helping me in the middle of Food Town…" Nicki smiled and watched Michael's smile become brighter and brighter by the moment.

"I'm Michael by the way…" He lifted the green beans from her damaged foot and admired the swelling and bruising arising from her foot. "Do you need me to take you to the hospital for this?"

"No, I'll be just fine…Michael…honestly…" The dark brunette grabbed the side of the shelves before feeling the touch of Michael against the side of her body. She looked up at him and smiled. "Thanks." She hobbled over to her own cart and began pushing it down the aisle.

"Wait!" Scofield yelled grabbing her attention at the end of the aisle. "When can I see you again?"

Nicki looked at Michael and began walking faster down the store until she saw the cases of pop in aisle seven. With her foot still hurting she wobbled down the aisle and attempted to hide behind the NASCAR cardboard stand. Michael left his cart in the soup aisle and began running after the young woman and saw no trace of her. Disappointed he grabbed a different can of soup from the end of the aisle and paid for it then went home.

------------------------- Michael's apartment ----------------- (5:14 p.m.) ------------------------

Michael took the keys out of the ignition of his truck and saw a familiar face in the doorway of the apartment right next door. He peeked out the passenger window of his Chevy and saw Nicki trying to lift her injured foot out of the doorway. Quickly Michael jumped out of his truck and ran over to his next door neighbor's apartment and smiled.

"Looks to me like there is a damsel in distress yet again. I think there is just something about Tipp City that curses you into getting hurt…" Scofield grabbed the side of Nicki's body and flung her opposite arm over his neck. "Easy…" He guided her inside her apartment and placed her gently on the couch next to the door.

"Thanks Michael…" Nicki looked up at the blue eyed man and noticed there was a button missing from his white shirt. She poked her finger inside the missing button hole and smiled. "I do believe I owe you a shirt Michael…"

"Michael Scofield…And you are…?" He propped a pillow behind Nicki's head and pulled a blanket from the edge of the couch over her almost shivering body. A small pillow elevated her injured leg perfectly.

"Burlow…Nicole Burlow but everyone calls me Nicki." She looked at Michael then toward a young woman just entering the house.

The girl entering in the apartment was a little shorter than Nicki, had beautiful hazel eyes and the hair the color of sand on the beaches of Hawaii. She was wearing a plain T-shirt with dark denim jeans.

"Nicki, my truck is…Who is he and what is he doing in OUR apartment?" The young blonde questioned Michael's existence and smiled.

"This is a…a friend I met in the market today Dani. This is Michael Scofield and he is the new guy from next door. Michael, this is my younger sister Danielle Evans."

"It's nice to meet you ma'am." Scofield reached out for a hand shake but was rejected by Nicki's younger sibling. "I'm sorry…" He reached for the back of his neck as he looked at the carpet below his feet.

"Is he that guy you were talking about this morning? The hot one with all the tattoos?" The young blonde scrambled over to Michael and lifted his white shirt to expose the tattoos across his abs. "Yeah, that is him."

"Shut up! If I didn't have a hurt foot I'd go and kick your ass right now." Nicki hollered at her sister but smiled when Dani ran off into her own bedroom. "Damn it." She whispered underneath her breath so that only she could hear it.

"What's wrong?"

"What are you talking about?"

"You said Damn it for a reason…"

"Did you hear me?"

"Sort of, but I didn't if you don't want me to…" He smiled toward Nicki and looked at the front door. "Well, I best be leaving I suppose."

"Thanks for everything Mr. Scofield…I mean it…if there is anything I can do let me know…preferably when my foot is in better condition…" Nicki smiled and locked her eyes into Michael's as he did the same. "Fuck…"

"What?"

"Nothing, I…just nothing…so I'll see you around?"

"Yes that sounds great. Do you need anything?"

"No, I'll be fine…"

"Well, just in case I live next door and here is my number…" Scofield handed the young woman a slip of paper with his cell phone number on it.

"Thanks, thanks for everything including the green beans…" She smiled.

"Anytime…Nicki…" Michael opened the front door and headed back toward his own apartment.

----------------------------- End of Chapter -----------------------------------------------------------

A/N: Well, I hope you guys liked this chapter. It is a bit on the lengthy side but I believe it was well worth it in the end. Chapter four should be up soon I hope if not I'll git-r-dun this weekend. Also, I have decided to use my Fanfiction profile page to add updates on my books and stuff so make sure you check it out soon! My homepage link is currently down due to a site difficulty but I'm working on it. Thanks for reading and I appreciate any and all reviews!! It would be awesome to get a first review for this book…lol. I would blushes


	4. Chapter 4

I agree and he asks me to stay for dinner and I say ok. Dinner is over and I go home and leave him with a handshake to remember. The end.

Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with Prison Break or any of its contents.

A/N: Sorry it took so long to come up with this chapter. I have been very busy and I'm sorry for the wait. Well, I guess that is enough with the talking. Also I have updated my homepage!!!

**Next Day…**

-------------------- Michael's Apartment ------------------------------ (10:01) --------------------

"Good Morning Tipp City Ohio. Today is going to be partly cloudy with a 90 percent chance of snow so be careful on the roads today…" Michael heard the alarm go off and knocked it off with his right hand which was flung over the bed almost to where it was losing blood flow. He looked toward the bright red letters saying that it was 10 in the morning.

"You…have…to…be…kidding…me…" Scofield glanced toward the wooden nightstand beside his comfy bed and noticed a work schedule directly underneath the once placed alarm clock. He smiled and began to stare blankly toward the piece of paper. "This sucks…" Michael whispered in his raspy morning voice he used just about every morning.

The light from the camel tan window drapes peered through his room exposing the glossy tone of his half naked body. Michael ran a giant hand against his shaven head and sat up in his rather big bed. The blankets from the bed soon fell against the floor to expose his entire body and flawless six pack in which he worked on everyday. His legs were toned as well as any other muscle on the tattooed mans body. A small stream of sweat soon dripped down his face due to the rather high intense furnace in his newly found home.

"Who the hell gets up this early?" He rubbed his medium colored blue eyes and looked into a mirror opposite of his body located on the right wall beside his own private bathroom.

His image in the mirror exposed that of a handsome structure, almost a perfect model in an Abercrombie and Fitch commercial. He gently lifted his body away from the newly messed bed and moaned as he walked toward his bathroom. In his bathroom was a normal toilet, sink and shower as with every other ordinary plain white bathroom. He pulled away the shower curtain and continued to turn the knob of the tub all the way to the red end indicating hot water. Soon enough steam came pouring through the bathroom and began seeping under the large wooden door of the bathroom. Slipping off his red boxers he gently stepped inside the shower and began massaging his own neck and shoulders.

The water coming out of the shower head began splashing against Michael's torso soon rolling down his stomach and against his leg until it hit the bottom of the tub. He looked down toward the bottom of the tub and admired the water seeping into the silver drain. Bubbles from the tattooed man's shampoo began filling the tub until a sudden loud noise under the drain swooped it completely down the drain. He chuckled and turned the water all the way to the right allowing the water to shut off. Grabbing a towel from the side closet he quickly dried his sopping body and placed a clean pair of blue boxers around his now clean waist. Securing the brim of his boxers he smiled and continued to put on his new black work pants. The belt of the pants fit across his waist perfectly.

"How the hell do they expect you to wear a vest with a belt…?" Mumbling to himself he placed the clean white shirt across his chest and began buttoning up his shirt starting against his chest.

The uniform consisting of a plain white shirt, black vest, black dress pants and belt fit around the tattooed man perfectly allowing the tattoos on his skin to be covered just enough for his new job starting today officially. He glanced in the mirror and ran his hand along the side of his cheek and smiled devilishly. Grabbing a crystal clear bottle of cologne, he splashed some on and placed it back upon the sink. Michael walked out the door of the bathroom and exited out of his house.

The shimmering blue Chevy was parked in its normal spot along side of the drive way as usual. He placed the keys inside the door lock and opened the door. Inside the car were nice new leather seats and a cold steering wheel. Scofield jumped up into the driver's seat of the truck and flew down Manchester. He turned right onto Main Street and continued down it for about two minutes until he pulled into Food Town.

…_You can get from one place to another in less than five minutes around here…that is either good or really bad…time will decide that…_

Jumping out of the car Michael fixed his bunched up dress pants and continued walking into the entrance of his newly found job at Food Town. The manager was off talking to another customer near the produce and all the cashiers were busy. A particular cashier stood out in the eyes of Michael. She was a rather short young dark haired brunette with a tattoo of a rose on the inner wrist of her right hand. The young woman smiled toward Michael and at that very moment he knew it was Nicki. Slyly he crept over to the register and placed a single arm against the tiny make-due wall separating the lines between each cashier. His body weight shifted to that one side.

"I didn't know you worked here Mr. Scofield…" Nicki propped herself against the bag claim area directly in front of Michael. She smiled and looked down at her apron.

"No, I'm surprised to see you here…" Scofield said placing both hands deep inside his pockets to where the average eye was unable to see the many tattoos that filled his complex body.

"It pays the bills and allows Dani to go to school and that is all I'm concerned with. I know it isn't the best job to show for my college education but it is the only one I can work my own hours and make enough money to pay the bills and eat well…" The young woman paused for a moment and smiled. "Someday…"

"What do you mean by 'someday'?" Michael removed himself against the barely standing separator and moved in closer to Nicki. By the look on her face Michael could tell she was nervous. Her body began to shake and her hands inserted her pockets nervously.

"I meant someday I'll be able to get a real job…now if you'll excuse me Mr. Scofield I have to get back to work or George will fire me…It was nice seeing you though…" She let go of the tiny wall behind her and stood directly in front of the cash register in which Michael was right beside.

"Please call me Michael…" He noticed Nicki's shaking hand leave her pocket and find itself against the top of the register. Michael smiled and placed a single hand over her shaking one and looked deep into her blue-ish green eyes.

"Michael, I really have to be getting back to work…" She looked deep into Scofield's eyes and removed her hand from underneath his. Just then a customer appeared into the check out line. "I have to go…"

Without a single word Michael left the register area and proceeded to the back of the store where he found a single storage closet complete with every cleaning product known to man. He shook his head and grabbed the mop and bucket combo then began cleaning down each aisle steadily. Michael noticed from aisle twelve he got a perfect view of Nicki from that special place. She was like an angel despite the silly outfit required by food town. Her eyes let off a rather spectacular glow in which you couldn't notice unless you studied it. The tiny sweat particles came rolling down Michael's content face as he stacked the cans in their rightful places on top of the soup shelf.

Out of the corner of his eye he noticed Nicki staring directly toward him. He could almost feel an invisible heat ray against his chest from the eyes of Nicki. Michael continued to smile as if he didn't know the intensity of Nicki's eyes against him. George, the manager, began staring toward Nicki and yelled at her but his words were hard for Scofield to interpret. He looked down at his tiny black watch and noticed it was lunch time in which he decided to take his break.

The sign out card was located right next to the entrance. He punched out his time card and placed it back in the slot by the door. Outside he noticed Nicki smoking a cigarette nervously against the window of Food Town. Slowly Michael walked toward the woman and smiled toward her. He rested his body sideways against the window and lit her cigarette with his Harley Davidson lighter.

"What are you doing out here all alone?" Scofield grabbed a cigarette from his own pack and lit it with his lighter. He took in a small puff and merely choked.

"You're not a regular smoker are you?" Nicki giggled and took a small puff out of her own. She breathed it in deeply and exhaled creating a couple small rings of smoke in front of her face.

"No, not usually but since I was…" He paused a moment to realize what he was going to say. Michael threw his cigarette down and stomped on it allowing the flame to leave it. "Would you like to go to Subway with me?"

"Yeah, just let me finish it…" The young woman took in another puff of her cigarette and looked at Michael as she released the smoke from her body.

"…" Michael said nothing and grabbed the cigarette from Nicki's mouth and stomped on it with his boot. He smiled and looked deep into her eyes. "You don't need it…"

"I know you're right but it isn't as easy as you think it would be. I've been smoking ever since I was in High School and a habit like that isn't easy to break…" She placed her pack of cigarettes into her black bag around her shoulder and began walking down the strip mall.

"I didn't mean it like that…" Scofield quickly caught up with the young woman and opened the glass doors to Subway for her. He smiled and watched her walk in the small restaurant.

Michael walked up toward the glass containers and hopped in line directly behind Nicole. He placed his hands on the steel bars in front of him separating the line of the sub station and smiled. Nicki glanced back once and continued to order her own six inch sub. Scofield placed his hands gently behind Nicki against the bar and she smirked. With that he knew she had accepted his apology in her own little way. He preceded onto order his sub, paid for it and sat directly across Nicki in a booth by the window.

"So, what do you think about Tipp City?" Nicki opened her freshly wrapped sub and took a small bite. Michael watched the lettuce fall from her sub and smiled. "Subs can be so messy…so…"

"Tipp City is okay I guess…nothing really special about it necessarily." He looked at her sub and unwrapped his own. "Have you lived here all your life?"

"Nope, I was born and raised in Smithville Texas…" Nicki drawled taking a small sip of her soda in front of her. She looked up at Michael to see the unexpected shocked expression on his face. "What?"

"Nothing, I just didn't notice your accent before…" Scofield rolled up the wrapper from his sub and shot it into the waste can beside the window making a basket. He smiled toward her and chuckled. "I think that is cute…"

Nicki blushed and said "Well, comin' from Texas what'd you expect…?"

"I guess…you…" He blushed and began taking another bite of his lunch sandwich.

"Where are you from? My guess is you ain't from around here…"

"I grew up in a small town just outside of Chicago as a structural engineer at the firm of Middleton, Maxwell and Schaum in downtown Chicago. It was a good career but I wanted to explore the world before settling down again…"

"Wow that is pretty impressive. Why is it that an engineer is working as a janitor at Food Town out of all places…?" She smiled and looked at Michael's pale face.

"It's a long story…" He paused for a moment and chuckled. "It's a really long story in which I'm sure we don't have time for…lets just say that the love of a family member locked me into saving them…"

"That's a great way to put prison I suppose…but I have to wonder why such a good guy would put himself into prison when he had such a great record before…?" A sly smile came across the face of Nicki as she wrapped her unfinished sub.

"How did you find out?"

"Just because I work at Food Town doesn't mean I'm not educated. I went to Texas State studying criminal law and I guess you can say I have 'connections'…"

"Why did you check up on me like that?" The look of content soon turned into a look of possible anger or even better disappointment.

"I'm kidding Michael…calm down…the apartment owners duties was to inform me about your past since you were in the system….that's all. They wanted to know if I felt safe living next to a 'criminal'…and I said I didn't mind…especially one who is so polite as to eat lunch with me…thanks again…"

"It was really no problem at all…except you have some mayonnaise on your…here…" Scofield wiped the tiny bit of mayonnaise from the chin of the woman in front of him. He wiped the mayonnaise from his fingers onto a napkin beside his tray and smiled. "…on your chin…" He finished.

"Thanks…" A sudden grin appeared on Nicki's face as did Michael's. She looked down at her watch and noticed it was time to get back to work. "We ought to be going Michael; George will have a fit if we don't show up to work early…"

"Why is this George guy such an asshole…especially toward you…?"

"I dated his brother Mason…ever since then he hasn't treated me right but I have no choice but to work for him…"

"I'm sorry…"

"Why should you have to be sorry for something you have no control over?" Rolling her eyes she gently placed her unfinished sandwich into her bag and looked over toward Michael.

"…Because he obviously hurt you and nobody deserves to go through such a hurt that even the people around you suffer. I can tell you were hurt undoubtedly by this Mason character but I can only tell you that all guys are jerks…you just have to figure out which ones are worth your time…" Scofield took another sip from his drink and smiled. "And a guys role is to find that woman who lights up your face in sweats and no make-up…"

"I hope you find her…"

"I hope so too…" The tattooed man smiled and opened the door for the young woman.

---------------------- Food Town ------------------------------- (6:29 p.m.) ------------------------

**(A/N: Sorry I jumped ahead so quickly but my chapter was getting long and so I wanted to make sure I was able to add the ending. LOL, I'm special )**

"I'll be here tomorrow at seven George. You know, just because things didn't work out between Mason and I don't mean I don't' deserve the same amount of respect as any other woman or man for that matter." Nicki grabbed her black bag from underneath the cash register, bundled her coat and headed outside Food Town.

Nicki's red Chevy pick up truck was parked just outside the tiny food store. She held her arms in close around her waist attempting to keep warm from the cold Ohio chills in dead winter. The windshield was completely covered in ice as was the driver's door. She pealed her gloves away from her hands and attempted to open her door but was very unsuccessful. The now confused and worried dark brunette looked around the empty parking lot only to be in more confusion. Turning around she noticed a tall shadow casting above her body, it was no other than Michael.

"First you have trouble lighting your cigarette and now you can open your door. Looks to me as if you need a personal assistant…" Michael grabbed the edge of Nicki's hips and gently moved her out of the way so that he could attempt to open the door. He smiled back toward her and tried to open the door but was unsuccessful in his attempt. "Wow, this door is really stuck…"

"It always does this…every time…I sometimes wonder if George controls the weather and on days he hates me…he just decides to glue my doors together so I'm stranded in the parking lot all night…" Nicki shook her head and leaned against the freezing truck as she opened her new pack of cigarettes.

"I'll take you home Nick. But I'm only going to take you home if you put that cigarette away…" He took his keys out of his pocket and clicked the blue button on the tiny remote that lit up his car in the vast parking lot.

"Alright…" She placed the tiny white cigarette back into her pack and followed Michael to his giant truck located directly in front of her own. "Did you park here on purpose Michael?"

"No…" The tattooed man said shaking his head and opening the passenger side door of his truck. He watched Nicki place a single foot on the running board of the truck and attempted to jump. Michael placed a single hand on her hip and lifted her into the truck. He smiled and closed the door safely. "…Let's go home…"

-------------------------- The apartments ------------------------ (6:43 p.m.) -----------------------

"Thanks for taking me home. I really appreciate it. I don't know what I would have done without you today…" Nicki opened the truck door and jumped out onto the icy drive way. She turned back to look at Michael and smiled.

"It was nice seeing you Nicki. I enjoyed your company…" Scofield blurted out watching Nicki turn back and smiled. He hopped out of his own truck and walked toward the front end of his truck and placed his extended arms over the hood of his beloved truck.

"Would you like to come to dinner Michael? I have a crock pot full of soup…that's of course if you want to come. I do believe I owe you for the ride home…" She smiled and gently walked in front of Michael standing just below his chin within a safe distance.

"I would but I don't want to interfere with your plans Nicole…" He smiled toward her and noticed her shaking body within the cold weather.

"You're not going to interfere with any of my plans. Hell, I don't even have any plans tonight…Dani is out with some guy she told me about and I'm home alone tonight…" She stuttered her words as her body grew colder.

"That would be great…now why don't you go inside and get warm…" Michael grabbed Nicki's hand and led her into her own apartment. He sat her down on the couch beside the door and covered her with the blanket beside the couch.

"Wait, I have to get your soup…" Nicki tried to lift her body away from the couch but was too weak to do so. Her body began shaking even more as she lifted higher.

"Don't' worry; I'll take care of it…" Scofield smiled and walked into the kitchen in search of the freshly made soup.

Michael looked around the rather small ally kitchen and saw a giant pot full of vegetable soup. He lifted the lid to the soup and noticed the appetizing aroma followed by the steam of the heat. A couple blue bowls were placed right next to the crock pot in which he filled with the plentiful soup. He grabbed a couple of spoons from the dishwasher and carried the soup out to the freezing cold woman. Nicki was wrapped tightly in her snowman fleece blanket and her face was a delicate and as pale as ever.

"Thanks for the soup…" Nicki remarked unfolding her hands to grab her bowl of soup from Michael. Her hands shook like mini earthquakes creating a strong ripple in the soup.

"How about I help you…" Scofield sat his bowl of soup onto the coffee table and grabbed her bowl from her own hands. He placed her hands back under the blanket and scooped a single spoonful of soup into her mouth.

"Thanks…this weather is hard on me…" She smiled and accepted the spoonful of soup followed by a small cough.

"Hold on…I make you some tea for that cold…" He sat the soup on the coffee table directly by his own and smiled. "I'll be back in a moment.

Nicki looked up at Michael and watched him smile deeply toward her. The heart inside her very chest grew warm and inviting against her blanket. She watched him enter her kitchen in search of tea and smiled. Many noises and occasional bits of frustration could be heard from the kitchen inside her apartment. She glanced into the kitchen to find Scofield looking hard into the cabinets for tea but was unsuccessful by the frustrated look on his face.

"There is no tea…" Michael walked back out into the living room and shook his head. "Would you like me to go out and get some tea for you?" He zipped his coat up and began to turn the knob until he heard a tiny snore from the couch.

…_She fell asleep despite the racket from the kitchen? She looks so beautiful when she sleeps…Wait…should I carry her into bed? No, that would look funny…Well the least I could do is cover her up…_

Gently Michael covered her up and smiled. He pecked her on the forehead gently and watched the young brunette toss her body to the other side of the couch and smile in her sleep. Michael walked toward the front door, locked it and shut the door behind him.

------------------------End of Chapter-----------------------------------------------------------------

A/N: Sorry it took so long to post this. My college prep classes have been getting in the way of my writing…either that or my writing has been getting in the way of my College prep classes? Well whatever way it goes I'll try and do better from now on…Also, I would love a review!! I'm kind of sad, I don't even have one yet. LoL, I'm a dork!!!


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with Prison Break or any of its contents.

A/N: Hey you guys, it is nice to have chapter five up. So far I have about 30 chapters planned for this book along with the sequel. For the sequel however I only have the main ideas but I'll update you on anything I come up with. My goal is to have this book done by my b-day which is in like a month and a half but I'm not sure how that is going to work out. Anyways, sorry about the mumbling…on with the book…

**Two weeks, Three days later…**

**Christmas Eve**

------------------------------- Michael's Apartment --------------------- (11:06 a.m.) ------------

"Good Morning Tipp City Ohio. Merry Christmas! Today is supposed to get up to about nine with a scheduled foot of snow so get out those shovels and build a snowman…" The usual radio announcer said waking Michael up from his deep dark sleep inside the warm covers of his very own bed.

Almost asleep Michael opened his once tired eyes to find his bedroom dark and almost lonely. He lifted the lightly colored tan sheets away from his body and threw them on the ground beside him. The strong steady light from the curtains soon shined against Michael's sleight blue eyes creating a tiny blur in his vision. His eyes soon wondered around the room until he noticed a young woman just outside his apartment gathering the mail that day. Lifting away from the bed, Scofield slipped into his plaid pajama pants sending a warm sensation against his toned legs.

Michael gently opened his bedroom door to find his entire apartment just the way he had left it. The fresh laundry was still setting on the washer along with the cleaning products neatly aligned on the shelf above the dryer. Everything in the rather small ally kitchen was set away neatly as always. A sigh of a rather bitter relief rolled across the face of the tattooed man. He slipped into his Scooby-Doo faced slippers and headed outside to grab the newspaper toward the end of the drive way. Looking deep into the eyes of Nicki he smiled and admired her long flowing dark brown hair that swayed perfectly every time she took a single step.

"Mornin' Micheal." The young brunette yelled toward Michael grabbing her own newspaper that was at the end of her drive-way. She looked up and noticed Michael's hands reach hers as she grabbed her paper. Her face soon became pink as she picked up the paper and held it at her side.

"Good morning Nicki." Michael answered with some what of a sigh of relief almost as if it were a chore to get the young woman's attention. He placed his freshly delivered paper at his side and smiled uncontrollably. "Are you going to work?" Scofield noticed Nicki wearing her name tag and shot her a look of disappointment.

"What do you mean? Oh, that I am workin' on Christmas Eve…well…I have to take care of the family somehow. Not to mention George can never find anybody to work on Christmas so the company pays me double for working today and I can't reject the money…" The soft spoken woman drawled looking down at her snow covered shoes in almost a look of disgrace against her cause of working on such a once joyous occasion.

"That's ashamed that he still makes you work despite your obvious commitment into working for Food Town…" Scofield lifted Nicki's chin just so that he could watch a single steady tear roll down her face and land against his hand. He felt her right hand cover his on top and he smiled. "Someday everything will be set right Nicki…I promise…"

"Don't make any promises that you don't intend on keeping Michael. Mason did that to me and I can't and won't let my heart get caught up in all those lies. Now if you will excuse me I have to be at work in ten minutes or George will fire me…" Nicki grabbed her keys from inside her dark coat pocket and sighed.

Realizing that he exposed a sensitive subject, Michael grabbed her arm and pulled her in toward his cold exposed chest. He looked deep into her eyes and ran a single finger along her lips so that she was much more tranquil. "I'm sorry Nicki…"

"Why do you have to be so great and lead me to believe that all men aren't assholes?" A gentle tear came streaming down the young woman's face as she placed the side of her face against his chest and felt Michael's hands wrap around her shivering body.

"I think your problem is that you're stressed and you have nobody to be there for you Nicole. You just need to take it day by day instead of getting yourself caught up in everything all at once…" Scofield ran his boney fingers along her silky hair until he reached the edge of her neck and smiled.

"…I don't know why I am going to say this…but would you like to come to my small Christmas gathering tonight? I know it is really sudden and you might have other plans but I would really like it if you would…" Nicki felt Scofield's hand reach across her mouth and she stopped.

"I'll be there Nicki…" Michael released the young woman from his grasp, smiled and continued up his drive way and away inside his own apartment. Leaning against her truck, Nicki incoherently smiled and looked at Michael's front door with glowing blue eyes.

------------------------------- Food Town --------------------------------- (12:00 p.m.) ------------

"You're late…" George crossed his tight arms across his flabby chest and stared at Nicki with rage hidden beneath his eyes.

"George, I'm only thirty seconds late according to my watches time." The dark brunette merely shoved her watches time in front of her manager's face and sighed. "Now if you will excuse me I have to tend to my register…sir…" She added quickly.

Nicki walked around the register and stared at the flashing red signal light. Smiling she entered her 'special code' indicating it was her using the keyboard. Propping her tiny frame against the divider she looked around the entirely empty store. The shelves were merely empty due to the holiday rush. George was standing near the door way as usual, counting the number of customers who entered. Nicki looked down to the ground as she noticed a small piece of paper tucked into the crevice between the register and scanner. Her fingers soon found themselves unwrapping the tiny note to have a message hidden inside.

"_The secret is in the 'old family recipe'"_

Confused as to what the noted meant Nicki's multi-colored eyes found themselves in a horrible fit of desperate confusion. She looked around the entire store for a single moment only to find her more baffled about the secret note. Peering over her shoulder was her good friend Jenny from way back when. Jenny was a slightly blonde haired woman with unforgettable blue eyes and facial features that even god himself couldn't find a way to perfect.

"Is that a love letter from the hottie next door?" Jenny snatched the lined note from the grasp of Nicki and stuck her nose inside it. Her face soon turned into a fit of humor. "…old family recipe…?"

"I know, I ain't got a clue what that means Jenny…" The dark brunette drawled strongly snatching the note back from her best friend and tucking it deep into her apron. She looked up at Jenny and smiled. "I have no idea who it was from or what the significance is between the phrase 'old family recipe..."

"…So it is from your lover boy…Aww…how cute Nicole…you have an admirer." The young blonde looked at Nicki and giggled as if she were in Junior High again. "Did you invite him over to your party tonight…"

"No…Yeah…" Nicki looked toward George and then back at Jenny who was currently covering her face despite the many trails of giggles that left her ruby red lips. "It isn't funny Jenny. I don't even know what to say to him. This morning he came out to greet me in just his pajama bodies and held me so close to his chest that I could smell the cologne pouring off his body."

"Why is that a bad thing Nicki? You deserve to be loved again. Mason is just a jack ass but now I think you have actually found someone who loves you…" Jenny fluttered her eyelashes and smiled at Nicki who was in the middle of blushing. "You're blushing!"

"I am not!" The brunette smacked Jenny playfully on the cheek and giggled. "So…I promised myself that I wouldn't be hurt by another man ever and Michael is no exception…"

"Oh, his name is Michael…Michael and Nicki. It has a ring to it actually…"

"Shut up Jenny, you know that I won't go through with Michael what I put up with when I dated Mason. Plus I don't think I am completely over Mason Jenny. I still think about him like crazy and have his locket he gave me…I can't just throw it all away Jenny…"

"I know, that is why you give it to me, kill Mason and live happily ever after with Michael. It all works out in the end…I get a free locket…you get to kill the man who ruined you for life and you also get one of the hottest men I have ever seen…" Jenny smiled and grabbed a Hershey bar from her apron. She unwrapped the giant candy bar and handed Nicki half of it.

"He is pretty hot…wait…what am I saying? You're talking to the woman who loved another man despite the 'other woman' I knew about the entire time…" The settle tears of a broken heart soon filled Nicki's face as the thought of Mason returned to her mind. She closed her eyes only to make it worse.

_--------------------- Flashback to Mason ------------------------ (3 weeks into dating him) -----_

"_Baby, I love you more and more I talk to you. It's not only your flawless eyes that keep me here but your knowledge that makes me want to stay with you till all eternity." Mason looked into the eyes of Nicki and smiled as he grabbed her chin and kissed her softly. _

"_I love you more than anything I've ever wanted…all I want is you Mason…" Nicki scooted in closer toward the brown eyed man and rested her tiresome body directly against the side of his muscular body. _

_Nicki tilted her head to admire the manly structure by which she called Mason. Between his impeccable brown eyes or the complexity of his smile there was no doubt in her heart she wanted him more than anything and he wanted her just as bad. She looked down at the tiny hole in the young man's jeans and smiled. Slowly she ran her hand across the hole and smiled. The fabric tickled in between her fingers as she continued to examine the hole. Just then she felt something vibrate and pulled out his cell phone. She playfully pulled it away from Mason and answered it. _

"_Hello?" Nicki answered fighting the sudden urge to tackle him and have her way with him for the rest of the night. She looked up at Mason and smiled. _

"_Hi is Mason there?" A young woman on the other end of the phone answered in a sweet toned voice that allowed Nicki it was safe to assume she was a cheerleader. _

"_No, I think you have the wrong number…" The dark brunette hung up the phone and looked into the eyes of Mason. _

"_Who was it?" Mason questioned kissing the settle crease in her neck as she loved so very much. He followed a thin trail down to her bra strap and paused to admire the scared look in the eyes of Nicki. "What's wrong? Did I hurt you?"_

"_Nothing, it was just a sales person or something Mason. I'm sorry…" Nicki looked down at the cell phone and stared deeply into the thick black letters of the settle time presented on the cell phone. She grabbed the phone and placed it on the coffee table in front of them. _

"_I love you Nicki…always have and always will…" The young man looked toward Nicki, grabbed the sides of her face and kissed her like there was no tomorrow. His tongue slowly found its way against hers and was not content. _

"_I know…" She paused a moment to look at the phone then continued her passionate kiss with the man she once loved._

_---------------------------End of Flashback-----------------------------------------------------------_

"Nicki! Nicki!" Jenny began waving her hand in front of Nicki as if she were trying to cheer her on in a competition even Nicki herself was unaware of. "Nicki!"

"What!?" The dark brunette looked around the store once and gasped. "I'm sorry, I kind of lost it there for a minute but I'm fine…honestly…I should actually probably get back to work…" She took in a deep breath and watched a customer load their groceries onto the conveyer belt.

----------------------------- Nicki's Apartment ---------------------------- (5:42 p.m.) ------------

Danielle looked around the empty apartment as she sat her stuff in the chair beside the door. On the coffee table she noticed a note from Nicki stating that she would be home at six and for Dani to begin setting up for the Christmas party. The young blonde looked around the empty living room then directed her attention to the young man standing in the doorway. He was about 5' 7", shaggy median brown hair and a kid like appearance in which no woman could resist. The young man grabbed Dani's hand and followed her into the kitchen.

"LJ, do you think you can get me out the run Nicki keeps in the cabinet above the stove?" The young blonde pointed to the wooden cabinet doors just above the stove and smiled as she watched LJ pull down two rather large bottles of rum for the party tonight.

"Is that all you need from the cabinet?" LJ fell silent as he awaited the answer from Dani. "You know I love you baby but come on…you know I don't like heights…"

"That is all I need for now…so you can get down from there my little baby boy…" She smiled and began pouring a container of egg nog into a large punch bowl just beside the stove.

"I'm not a baby, or at least that's not what your mom said last night! Burn!" LJ hopped down from the dining room chair and paraded around the kitchen as if he just won the lottery. He picked up Dani from against the cabinet and hauled her over his shoulder as he brought her in the living room.

Setting her against the couch young LJ looked around the empty room and began to kiss Dani until she lifted his face away from hers. The look on his face looked disappointed contrary to the look on Dani's face. She looked content for once in her life which was a drastic change from other times. LJ removed the long flexuous hair from her neck and began kissing up her neck until he reached her beautiful carnation pink lip gloss. He licked some of the gloss away from her lips and smiled.

"What exactly was that for young man?" Dani smiled and wrapped her long arms around his neck until she was easily able to pull him down for her own reasons.

"Who the hell are you?" Nicki grabbed a baseball from the coat closet near the front door and pointed it toward the man on top of her little sister. She held the bat up just high enough to intimidate the young man and smiled. "Get off her sonny boy…" She drawled carefully watching his every move.

"Dude, what is up with your wacko mother man? Doesn't she know we're together and have been for a week now?" LJ slowly smiled and kissed Dani once more.

"Do you not speak English dumb ass? I told you to get the fuck off her and I expect you to do so!" The pissed off brunette let off a practice swing and watched LJ's face turn to mush.

"What the hell lady? She is my girlfriend." The young man protested looking deep into the eyes of Nicki who anyone could tell she wasn't one to be messed with.

"I wouldn't mess with her if I were you, now just get up and I'll deal with my sister…"

"She is your sister? Holy shit man…"

"For being such a great guy you sure have a bad cussin' mouth son…now clean up your words before I slap your ass to Texas…"

"Damn…" LJ slowly lifted away from Danielle and raised his hands in surrender.

"What did I tell you about that damn mouth of yours son? It looks like you would understand the concept after I told you a billion times. Now leave…you have no business with my sister and I don't like you…" With a single motion Nicki dropped her bat to the side of her body and hoisted her hands to her hips.

"Someone is at the door Nicki…whoa…who is Mr. Hottie?" Dani politely opened the door for the tall gentleman and directed his attention to Nicki on the other side of the room. "Are you looking for my sister…Michael is it?"

"Yes actually…LJ…?" Scofield stopped dead in his tracks to admire his nephew on the couch sitting alone with eyes that looked like he saw a ghost. "LJ, what are you doing here?"

"Looks to me as if I'm with my girlfriend and you are too!" The young boy looked at Dani and smiled as she sat on top of his lap.

"Hi Nicole…" Michael watched Nicki hid the bat away from his view and walked rapidly up toward Michael. He gently opened the closet door to hang up his coat and looked up when he noticed he and Nicki were directly under the mistletoe. "Well…"

"I guess we can't break tradition…" Nicole placed the baseball bat inside the closet toward the right side of it as usual and looked up at Michael. She ran her hand from his belly button up to his neck and moved in closer.

"I wouldn't want you to break tradition…" Scofield moved in closer and gently kissed the young woman until she immediately pulled away. Wiping his lips Michael smiled and looked around the room at the many people. "There is nothing to see here LJ…"

---------------------- Later that Night ------------------------------------ (10:25 p.m.) ------------

Michael grabbed a small glass of egg nog and took a seat on the couch next to Dani. He admired Nicki from afar and noticed how her face lit up when she would speak and how the way her hair would flow whether she moved or not. The egg nog inside his cup soon called his name and he took a sip. Realizing there was alcohol in it Michael took another sip, this time enjoying the tiny burn of the rum inside such an innocent drink. He silently began to listen to the inner conversations of the people around him. Everyone had a place to talk and knew exactly what to say at exactly the right time that it almost scared Michael.

"Mason was a good guy at some point…" Dani brought up into the conversation allowing Michael to be more interested in what everyone had to say. The young blonde looked across the room at her older sister and sighed. "I can't say as if he still has a place in his heart for her but she gave him all her heart…"

"What was so bad about this Mason guy?" Scofield attempted to jump into the conversation as Dani, Jenny and another red head stared blankly toward the man with the question. He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck.

"I wouldn't bring him up around Danielle. Let's just say they didn't end well and he promised her things that she thought was as real as you and me." Jenny interrupted looking over toward Dani with a mere look of worry.

"We all make mistakes…" Dani got up from her seat on the other side of the room, pulled her shirt down around her waist and walked over toward the group on the couch. She politely sat down on top her coffee table directly in front of Jenny and smiled. "I gave him my heart and he broke it and didn't leave me the shattered pieces. He took them with him and his slut."

"I'm so sorry Nicole…I didn't realize the intensity Nicki…I'm sorry…" Scofield apologized looking from the dark brunette to her group of friends patting her on the back so that she didn't feel alone.

Michael looked down toward his feet and sighed. The idea of bringing up a sore subject hurt his heart despite the feelings he still had toward Sara. The thought of bringing up something that hurt so deep merely stabbed him in the heart with a knife that could only be pulled out by the one he hurt. He looked around the room once more only to be more confused and to carry even more mixed emotions. Nicki turned to notice Michael's struggle in his feelings as she placed a single hand over his on top of his knee. She smiled sending Michael a false since of an apology of some sort. Just then he turned to face the door to see a man enter the apartment.

"Mason?" Nicki quickly pulled her hand away from Michael and turned herself to face Dani who was completely speechless. She stood up away from the table and parked her body on the couch beside Scofield. "What are you doing here?" The young woman mumbled looking down at the fabric of the couch.

"I came to pick you up for our Christmas Eve dinner as we always did baby…I realize what I did was wrong and I knew that you would forgive me baby…I knew you would honey…" Mason said in a country deep south accent that made Nicki merely shake out of her skin. He looked down at Nicole and sighed.

"I'm not your girl…" Nicki scooted more toward Michael so that their thighs were locked together and Michael grew deeply uncomfortable. "I'll never be your girl…"

"Get the hell out of here…nobody invited you…" Dani walked toward the coat closet and picked up her sister's 'weapon of choice' and pointed it toward Mason who was smiling. "It isn't funny therefore I think you need to take you and your designer labels out of this apartment…"

"Come on Nicki, I think you need to come before things get ugly…" The young man grabbed Nicki's hand ever so tightly and began to pull her to her feet. He smiled and noticed Michael beside her. "Who the hell are you?"

"…" Scofield said nothing and gave the man one of the dirtiest looks you could possibly give another person. His eyebrows were slanted and his eyes were full of pure rage and fury.

"He is my boyfriend Mason. I tried to tell you but you wouldn't listen. We have been going out for a month now and I have moved on so take your hands away from me." She looked back and shot Michael a glance with her worried blue eyes.

Taking the hint Michael pulled Nicole down toward his body releasing the tight grasp of Mason. He smiled and held the shaking woman deep into his arms. "I think you need to be leaving sir." Michael announced with the helpful re-enforcement of LJ.

"Fine, but you haven't seen the end of me…mark my words…" Mason grabbed the wooden bat away from Dani and threw it in Michael's general direction. He placed his hat back upon his head and headed away from the apartment.

"I think everyone needs to leave…I just want to be left alone…" Nicki dashed into the kitchen and closed the door behind her.

Everyone soon emptied out of the rather large gathering room as did Dani. The only person left was Michael who was more worried about Nicole than him going home that night. He slowly made his way into her kitchen to find her propped up against the cabinet with tear filled eyes and from what he could tell a broken hear. Nicki looked up to find Michael and quickly wiped the tears onto her apron and began cleaning up the kitchen as she was doing.

"There is no need to clean this up Nicki. I'll do it…" Scofield grabbed a dish towel from beside the oven and began drying the rest of the dishes as Nicki cried even more tears if at all humanly possible. Her cheeks were red as were her once beautiful eyes.

"I'm sorry you had to see that…that was the last thing I wanted you to see Michael. I'm sorry for everything tonight. I just wanted to invite you over and look at what happened. My party was a disaster and I had the pleasure of seeing my ex again."

"It wasn't your fault and I don't blame you for anything. If at all possible you taught me the true meaning of the holidays. My parents were never around to have Christmas parties. My father left when I was born and my mother died of liver cancer shortly after." A sudden pause fled the face of Michael until he smiled and chuckled. "Don't worry about what happened I promise he'll never come around…I am a man of my word."

Nicki paused for a moment and grabbed Michael's face. She quickly kissed him passionately until she felt satisfied. Smiling she let go and ducked her head underneath his head. "God, I'm so sorry…I don't know what got into me…" She quickly pulled away from him and began washing a platter.

"Why are you apologizing? You are, after all, my girlfriend." Scofield turned around and kissed Nicole as if he had never kissed anyone before. He pulled away from her, wiped the tears from her face and smiled.

-------------------------------- End of Chapter --------------------------------------------------------

A/N: Well, that was chapter five. It was kind of long for my liking but hey, that's okay. I also want to point out the fact I was listening to 'white and nerdy' like the entire time and still am…lol…I'm pathetic…

I want to give a shout out to C and E!!! I love you guys!!!!!

I also want to say: I love you Wentworth Miller!!!!!!!!!! (Disclaimer: I don't own the actor wm but would like to someday…lol…)


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with Prison Break or any of its contents.

A/N: Yay for chapter six people! I'm very exited. I do promise that things will pick up the pace here soon. I just needed to establish a few things before the intensity increases. Thanks for your guy's support so far!! Love y'all!!!

**Six days later…**

---------------------- Nicki's Apartment ----------------- (9:01 a.m.) ------------------------------

The sound of a constantly beeping alarm clock soon lifted the eyes of young Nicki. She arched her back, curled her toes and began to stare in the glowing light of her window to greet the morning light. Her blankets were tucked just above her waist keeping the tiny frame of Nicki completely warm and almost soothing. Nicki's room was in no part anything out of the ordinary. There was a queen size light wooded bed, a couple matching dressers and a set of double closets on one side of the wall. The young woman shut her eyes for a single moment and thought of past events.

_-------------------- Flashback --------------------------------------------------------------------------_

"_Mason?" Nicki answered her cell phone with a little less of a disconcerting voice. She picked up a hotel brochure indicating she was actually in the great city of Palm Bay, Florida. _

"_Hey baby girl, how ya doin' down there in Florida?" Mason drawled strongly sitting comfortably in his living room couch resting his weary body against a group of décor pillows. _

"_Missin' you like crazy Mason. I wish I was up there with you…right beside you…right now." She looked around her rather tiny beach front hotel room and sighed deeply. "I want you right here."_

"_Are you near a window?" The young man questioned looking outside his own window in hopes the love of his life would do the exact same._

"_How does me looking out the window change the fact you are right in the 'Buckeye' state meanwhile I'm here in the 'Sunshine' state?"_

"_For once in your life would you just listen to me without putting up a 'fight'?" The young man looked around his living room and chuckled. "Do you see the moon?"_

"_Yes." Half way smiling Nicki continued to stare at the window in anticipation as to how the moon had any relevance to anything at all._

"_Anytime you want to see me just look toward the moon and realize we both can see each other through the same exact star."_

_The words spoken by the southern man ran through the mind of Nicki like a never ending movie through her brain. She plopped herself down in the hotel chair beside the window and smiled. The glow of the distant moon covered the side of her face as she examined the pale color of the shining moon. _

_-----------------------------End of Flashback---------------------------------------------------------_

Nicki stood up suddenly and began rapidly looking around her bedroom as the flashback of Mason ended. She pulled her floral comforter closer around her neck and back. Her fingers were becoming sweaty and the young woman's face soon began to pour sweat. The warmth of the covers slowly calmed her so that she was now more tranquil in a sense. Her feet continued to feel cold despite the many layers of blankets. Sighing Nicki crept away from her bed and into her slippers. The dark brunette was wearing her usual Scooby Doo pajama pants along with a white spaghetti strap tank top.

The young woman let out a deep sigh and noticed her bedroom door was slightly cracked. She gently peaked out of the small crack to find Dani wrapped in the arms of a young man only known as LJ. A tight grasp surrounded both fist of Nicki as she gritted her teeth in a fitted frustration. Dani however was on the couch smiling as LJ trickled his finger down her leg and around her thigh. Nicki snarled and listened intently on the conversation couple just outside her bedroom.

"I need to find a permanent place to stay before I'm able to do that." LJ paused and tickled the side of Danielle's neck with his sort of child like lips. He heard a feint giggle from his girlfriend and smiled.

"Well then you can stay here until you get back on your feet LJ. All we have to do is ask Nicki and I'm sure once she hears your situation everything will turn out to be just fine and you can be here with me." She wrapped her long flexuous arms around LJ and cracked a smiled toward Nicki's door. "Nicole Kristine Burlow, how on Earth do you expect me to leave you alone when you're now in my business?"

"I'm definitely not staying with his crazy physco women. She is insane and scary for that matter." LJ pointed out watching Nicki grab a seat on the coffee table directly across from him.

"He is not staying here Danielle. You know good and well that my policy for sleepovers is very strict and he is no exception."

"He is my boyfriend Nick, come on… just a single week and that is all…" Dani dropped her body to the floor and begged against Nicole's knees.

"He ain't stayin' under my roof as long as I'm paying the bills." She removed Dani's hands and stood up. Grabbing the young man's collar, Nicki guided LJ out the front door, through the snowy driveway and to the porch of Michael's apartment. "Ring the door bell."

"You've single handling found my nephew again." Michael chuckled and shut the door to his truck allowing the snow from the roof of his truck to fall against his coat covered chest. "What kind of trouble is he in now?" he shook his head and walked closer to Nicole with an undoubtedly smile.

"No, he isn't in trouble yet… but he does need a place to stay if at all possible. I trust him but…" Nicki paused as she watched LJ grab Dani's hand and lead her inside Michael's apartment. "Danielle is my younger sister and I watch over my daughter… I won't let anyone break her heart…ever…"

"You truly are afraid of love aren't you?" Scofield grabbed Nicki's hand softly and pulled her inside his apartment. Michael led Nicki into the living room and place her in the chair near the ally kitchen. The chair was like any ordinary tan recliner which sat perfectly. Nicki propped herself straight as she watched Michael plop himself down beside her. Their eyes met many times with the same intensity they had the first time today saw each other in the soup aisle at Food Town.

Michael blinked his eyes once and continued to examine her beautiful eyes. "Would you like to stay for breakfast Nicki? That is the least I could offer you for the thanks I need to express for what happened with LJ."

"Ordinarily I would say yes but I'm not exactly 'dressed' for the occasion." Blushing Nicole got up from her chair and lifted the strap of her tank top back over her shoulder.

"That doesn't matter; in fact I'll go change into my pajamas and make a party out of it all Nicki. Stay right there…" Scofield quickly lifted himself from the couch and opened his bedroom door.

The dark brunette watched Michael close his bedroom door and smiled. She stood up from the couch and walked over to the rather large mirror above the fireplace. Her eyes were completely free of any mascara; her lips were a baby soft pink and the tiny brown streaks in her eyes lit up now more than ever. Turning back around she noticed Michael's door cracked. The very eyes in Nicki's head soon wondered beyond the crack in the door to find Scofield in his blue Scooby Doo boxers and a bare six back. She blinked then secretly smiled on the inside.

The tattooed man peaked through the door to find Nicki fixing her hair in the fire place mirror. Her eyes were as radiant as ever and by the looks of it so was her bright smile. He gently opened the bedroom door which startled the young woman but brought a smile sudden smile across his freshly shaven face.

"What would you like for breakfast?" You have a choice between cereal or eggs…" Faintly blushing Michael walked into his kitchen and peaked into the refrigerator. "Scratch that, I have no eggs…"

"Cereal it is then…" Nicki drawled noticing a box of Lucky Charms on the coffee table from a previous breakfast encountered by Michael. She peaked into the kitchen to find Scofield scrambling with two blue plastic bowls in one hand and milk in the other. "Do you need any help in there? I know cereal can be a tough concept to grab…"

"I think I can handle it…" He shouted rather sarcastically opening the drawer in front of him only to grab two spoons.

"I remember back in High School a really close friend of mine, practically a sister, told me about this one time she was home alone. The story goes that she was getting kind of hungry and so she decided to eat a bowl of cereal as a snack that afternoon. So she grabbed out the ingredients, poured the cereal into a bowl and it caught on fire out of no where." Giggling at the very story she told Nicki admired Michael's dazed and confused face and laughed even harder.

"Do you still know this…crazy…friend?" Michael poured two bowls of Lucky Charms and handed Nicki the milk jug politely. Their hands met each other and both smiled innocently.

"I only know her more than I know about myself…! I talk to her almost everyday but haven't actually seen her since I left Texas two years ago. We've been best friends and it all started with markers…" Sighing deeply Nicki grabbed the bowl of cereal and began eating it.

_He must think I'm crazy for having a friend who set her cereal on fire because she wasn't smart enough to not pour it directly on top of a warm stove…_

"That sounds like something LJ would do…he is always being a little pest about certain things. In fact one night a long time ago he was doing laundry and complaining that his jeans were not drying fast enough. He decides to grab the pants out of the dryer, run straight to the kitchen and 'warm' them in the oven…I guess you can predict they caught on fire and that was the last of his jeans." Scofield wiped the side of his mouth of the milk drippings from his cereal. He proceeded to smile and eat his cereal as if he was oblivious to the fact he told one of his nephew's deepest secrets.

On the inside Michael began to feel a sudden change or pain in his stomach. The fact he broke a secret in which he was sworn to secrecy but now had nothing to show for it killed him on the inside. He looked around the room aimlessly as if time would magically heal the fact he may have lost his only nephews trust about telling him everything. Since the killing of his father all Michael wanted to do was help him but instead revealed something bad about him. His heart began to race faster as the tension between the only heart he ever knew pumped faster. The nerves inside his very body raced like horses at the Kentucky Derby. Nicki looked deep into Michael's eyes and screamed repeatedly.

"What!" Scofield screamed dropping his rather large bowl of cereal on the lap and shirt of Nicki.

The cold Lucky Charms flew against Nicki's clean white tank top sending countless numbers of Lucky Charms against her breasts. Marshmallows found themselves firmly planted deep into her shirt as well as the oats. Michael sighed and handed the dark brunette a paper towel from the end table. Nicki grabbed the paper towel and began wiping the spilled milk away from her arms.

"I'm so sorry Nicki; I honestly didn't mean to do that. Here let me help you…" He gently wiped the cereal mess away from her bright beautiful face and chuckled as marshmallows escaped onto the couch.

"It's okay…honestly…" Nicki glanced down her shirt to find three lonely marshmallows all in fact all being gold pots down in her shirt settling in her pale pink bra. "Well…"

Unsure of what to do in that particular situation Nicki reached her hand gently inside her shirt pulling the gold pots away from her breasts. She intently watched Michael's gleaming blue eyes peak down her shirt. The young woman disregarded his glance and ate the marshmallows without thinking twice about them nesting in her cleavage. Michael's face turned red when he finally figured out that Nicki noticed his 'childish action'.

"Do you wanna borrow a shirt? I know they will be big but it is better than one completely drenched in my cereal." The tattooed man looked innocently in Nicki's eye without blinking once. Her eyes were now a shade of green, a green that could only be found in someone's imagination such as Willy Wonka.

"Yeah that will be just fine Michael…" Nicki sighed and looked down at her dirty shirt then smiled. The recall of previous events presented a large smile and laughter to the dark brunette.

Michael eased his shaky body up from his couch and walked into his dark bedroom. He meandered around his room in search of a shirt for the woman whom he covered in his own breakfast. Images of the incident flashed in his already busy brain. Suddenly out of the corner of his blue eye he noticed his nephew take the hand of Dani and kiss the top of it gently. Proud of LJ Michael put on a well deserved smile on top of his face as he grabbed a blue and white button up office shirt to replace her tank top. He walked away from his closet and into the living room where Nicki was intensively sitting on the couch with her hands folded in her lap.

"This shirt should work perfectly…the bathroom is down the narrow hallway and to the left…" Michael handed Nicki the shirt from his closet and smiled as he felt her soft hands reach his.

"That's okay…I don't think I have anything you've ever seen before Mr. Scofield…" The dark brunette lifted her shirt way from her torso and threw it on the ground next to her. She glanced toward Michael and noticed the awkwardness in his eyes. "Why are you looking at me like an alien? You reassured me that I was your girlfriend previously…and are you or are you not a man of your word?"

"I am a man of my word Ms. Burlow…" Michael scooted his body in front of Nicki and reached his arms out against her bare hips. His hands soon journeyed their way up the curves of her sides creating tiny goose bumps along her stomach. "I want to tell you something serious…" He whispered looking up into her eyes.

"If you say the 'L' word with four letters…I swear I'll march my behind back to my apartment…grab my 'slugger' and beat y'r ass all the 'ay back to Canada…" Nicki drawled strongly grabbing the edge of Michael's chin and smirking.

"I don't want to go to fast and if I do…I just want you to promise me that you'll tell me. The last thing I want is for you to get hurt and as I promised before…I'll never hurt you…" Scofield gently kissed the tiny spot above her belly button tickling her just so.

"I wouldn't worry 'bout that Michael. You'll know when you've gone too far. You'll wake up one mornin' and find your tires slashed and daddy with a shot gun waitin' for ya in the driver's seat sittin' next to a carvin' of my name in your brand new leather seats. So getting back to the original idea I wouldn't worry…" She let go of the edge of his face and continued to feel the heat from Michael's lips reach her stomach once more. The expression on her face was one of content which was something that never happened for Nicole without putting up a fight.

The dark brunette shot the tattooed man a bright smile as she watched him gently rub his hands across her stomach and kiss her. Michael peered up from her stomach and smiled with such an intensity that could only be described as miraculous. He began to feel this sudden heat that he'd never felt before despite the many past women in his life. For once he finally believed that life could be fulfilled with someone special despite the fact he had only known this woman for less than a month. He still found this sort of connection that could only be reached by a certain four letter word that started with an L.

"So does this mean you accept the fact I can call you my girlfriend or are you going to hit me upside the head with your favorite weapon?" Scofield pulled Nicki down eye to eye with him and placed her on his lap as he finished buttoning her shirt.

"…Where is my bat?" The young woman looked around the living room for her very own specialty weapon and saw no trace of her wooden bat.

"Wait, what did I do? Dear god please tell me you're not calling up your dad. I don't even know the man and I don't think I want to…at least not in that sort of way." With eyes of sheer terror Michael looked deep into Nicki's eyes only to see the twinkling of bright blue eyes and smile that could kill.

A smile appeared on Nicole's face as if she just won the lottery jackpot. She turned to face him to notice the look on his face being more comforting than anything in the world. For once in her life she was content for a moment with no worries filling her head. She could think about herself for this very time without having to worry about Dani or even life itself. The satisfaction of knowing she was safe in Michael's arms led her to believe she was his angel.

----------------------- Nicole's Apartment ----------------------- (2:14 p.m.) ---------------------

"No way am I eating that…I don't even think that is food! Wait, is that dog food?" LJ looked down at his bowl of oatmeal and sighed. He ran his spoon around the crusty edge of oatmeal and deeply sighed once more. "Where did you learn to cook baby?"

"…It's not even cooked yet LJ. I have to put it on the stove first…did you honestly think I was going to make you eat out of a measuring cup?" Dani smiled and grabbed the measuring cup only to dump the oatmeal into a hot large pot on the stove. "It will be done in about ten minutes. In the meantime you can grab the fertilizer out of the back of the pick up."

"No way…the new Scooby Doo movie is on right now and I'm not missing it on the count of lifting fertilizer…" The young man smiled and stared into the now angered eyes of Dani. LJ knew that stare from anywhere. It was the one in which the opposite person stares for two seconds, lets out a large sigh and shakes their head. "Dude don't give me 'the look'…I already get that from Uncle Michael, my grandma, I use to get it from dad…a lot. Wait, I failed to mention the fact the 'bionic woman' gives me the same stare."

"Who is the 'bionic woman'?" Dani stirred the oatmeal and shook her head giving 'the look' toward LJ once more without thinking twice.

"…Your crazy sister…" He looked down at the kitchen cabinet and examined the color of the wood intently waiting for Nicki to walk in the door and slap him. A moment later he looked up toward the front door and saw no sign of the 'bionic woman'.

"She is going to kick your ass if you ever say that to her face. You do realize Nicki keeps a wooden bat by her side at all times right? I can't tell you how many men she has beaten with that poor wooden bat…"

"…You have a point! I'm hungry." The young man smiled and practically drooled in the pot of oatmeal in which Dani was stirring intensely.

"Dude, don't drool in my nice snack. Didn't your mom teach you proper manors?" A look across the young blonde's face changed into a more sort of sad look. Her once beautiful eyes became teary and her smile turned into a settle look of sadness.

"Are you crying?" LJ walked up behind his girlfriend and began to message her shoulders as she poured two complete bowls of oatmeal. "I know about your dad…"

"Never bring that up again!" Dani turned around pushed his body away from hers. "I never want you to mention my father again…and how does some kid like you find out about my father…nobody knows about that LJ…nobody…"

"Whoa, I think you need to chill out a bit man. When I was over here last night I noticed on your coffee table you had a collage of pictures in a single frame next to the obituary. I couldn't help but to read who it was and I found out it was your father Dani. Your only father…and I know exactly what that is like…perhaps a little too much…" LJ kicked the edge of the cabinet as he tried to fight back the single tear running down the side of his face.

"…" Saying nothing Dani grabbed both of his hands and placed them around her waist. She lifted her own hands and gently sat them on his hips. "…I'm sorry…" She whispered into his chest.

"Dani I'm leaving for work!" Nicole yelled entering the kitchen to find LJ wrapped around her only sister. The settle smile soon left her face as she held her bat in her right hand and pointed it toward LJ. "Excuse me young man, don't you have something to say to me?"

"Nicki, drop the bat…he is my boyfriend…! You wouldn't want me to beat the crap out of Michael for hugging you know would you? So just but the stupid bat down before someone gets hurt." Dani attempted to reason with her only sister until she felt LJ behind her attempting to use the young blonde as a sort of shield.

"Don't hurt me! If I had a white flag I would wave it…! I SURRENDER!!!" LJ ducked his head and looked down at the tile of the kitchen. He began to whisper into Dani's ear. "If I don't make it out, just know that I love you…"

"I love you too." The young blonde smiled and looked into Nicki's eyes with sheer intensity building.

"Be good to her…" Nicki set her bat against the kitchen wall and smiled. She gave LJ the 'thumbs up' he was looking for. The look on LJ's face allowed Nicki to leave for work without a fight.

"Holy crap, I just dodged a bullet…my heart…it is in tact…" The young man stepped away from his 'shield' and looked at the boiling pot of oatmeal. "Shit, now we have a burnt pot of oats…" He quickly lifted the pot away from the stove and sighed.

"Nicki is going to kill you if she hears such language sir. Now let's just eat our oatmeal and shut up."

"I ain't eatin' burnt oats!" LJ sighed once more. "The last time I checked horses eat burnt oats…not men…that is why their lower on the food chain. My ancestors didn't reach number one to eat burnt oats. I'm going to McDonald's if you wish to come. Even McDonald wouldn't even think twice about eating…oats…? The word oats even gives off a nasty feeling in your stomach…"

"Don't you want to start eating healthier?" Dani held up the cylinder of oatmeal and held it up toward LJ. "It says here on the front the first step to a healthy heart is a bowl of oatmeal a day."

"Dani, you can't tell me that old man on the package is healthy? He is ugly, ancient and probably couldn't get laid if he paid the woman a fortune…" LJ grabbed his car keys from out of his pocket and smiled as he grabbed Dani's hand he led her out of the apartment.

"Are you serious?" The young blonde looked out in the drive way to find Michael's truck parked in front of LJ's 'new car'. Her jaws dropped as she walked closer to the car in an almost hesitation.

"…I now present to you the shag wagon…" The young man pulled off the red ribbon from the car dealer's parking lot and smiled. He placed the red bow on top of Dani's blonde hair and chuckled.

"…It's more like the loser croozer…" Sighing Dani hopped in the passenger seat only to admire the beat up front seats of LJ's station wagon that which he named Stacy.

--------------------------------- Food Town -------------------- (8:02 p.m.) -----------------------

"George, I don't have time for you nonsense. I'm leaving. My shift ended two minutes ago and I intend to go home, relax and watch a movie. Now if you'll excuse me I must be walking home." Nicki looked directly in front of George and fluttered her eyelashes.

"You have to walk? I pay you to walk here?" George smirked.

"Never judge anyone until you know the full story. I'd like to see you balance a job, a house, a sister going to college and a social life." The young woman flicked George off and walked out the door.

"I'll be seeing you tomorrow!" He screamed outside the store staring Nicki down just outside Food Town. "If your not there…I'll fire you…"

Nicki bunched up her coat and continued to walk through the slushy snow until she reached the end of the plaza. Her hands were dug deep into her pockets, the hood from her coat was securely wrapped around her face and her feet were freezing despite the double layers of socks. She noticed a dark blue truck appear beside her. Inside the window she noticed Michael in the driver's seat smiling and reaching for the passenger seat. He soon was able to open it and Nicki plopped her body right inside it.

"What are you doing walking out here by yourself?" Scofield placed the truck into drive and continued his journey back to his apartment. He noticed the young woman shaking and began reaching in the back seat fro a blanket. Pulling out the blanket he tossed it to Nicki and smiled. "I have the heat as high as I can baby."

"You called me baby?" Her voice trickled as the thought of Mason began to play through her head. She wanted more than anything to forgive him or at least not be bothered by the thought of his living self.

"I thought that would be alright Nicki. I'm sorry…I'll call you whatever you wish…" He pulled into the driveway beside Nicki's own red pick up and sighed. "I forgot you didn't like that…"

"No, it isn't that I don't like it…it is that Mason screwed my life up and things just aren't the same. I'm always afraid of falling to hard for someone. Thanks for the ride." She paused and lifted the blanket away from her body.

"Would you like to come and see a movie tonight?" Scofield jumped into the conversation and grabbed Nick's hand toward the middle of the bench seat. He gently picked up her soft innocent hand and placed a single kiss just above her fingers. "Please say yes."

"…Yes…" Nicki whispered and looked up at Scofield's beautiful blue eyes in complete amazement. She wasn't sure whether he wanted her but she knew deep inside she wanted him now more than ever. "Please come…"

"Okay…"

The young new couple held each others hand as they walked up to Nicki's apartment. They wiped their feet on the mat near the front door and smiled as they entered the rather dark apartment. Nicki flipped on a light so that it wasn't so dark and mysterious anymore. Michael found a nice spot on the far end of the couch and took his jacket off revealing his work clothes underneath. The young woman let go of her jacket and threw it to the ground. Her hands were cold as with the rest of her body. She sat herself in the middle of Michael's legs and huddled her body against his torso and he wrapped his hands around her waist attempting to warm her.

"Are you ready?" Michael whispered in her ear kissing her neck lightly and looking at the movie previews.

"Yes…Michael…" The dark brunette said trying to warm her hands by rubbing them together quickly but still no such luck. She felt Michael's hands grab hers and placed them in his own creating a warm sensation to trickle down her body all the way to her feet. "How are you so warm?"

"I have you…" He answered smiling and pressing play on the DVD remote. Michael looked down at the confused woman's face and smirked. "Despite you feeling cold, you're actually pretty warm…"

The movie began to play and the couple was closer than ever before. Nicki was wrapped inside the arms of the man she wanted more than anything. Michael was holding the woman who he dreamed about finding all his life. For once in their life they both felt content which was a hard thing for the both of them. During the entire movie they would catch themselves staring at the opposite person. A song suddenly began to play in the movie as Michael gently swayed from side to side smiling.

_When you light those candles  
Up there on that mantle, setting the mood   
Well, I just lie there staring  
Silently preparing to love on you  
Well, I can feel the heat from across the room  
Ain't it wild what a little flame can make you wanna do_

I melt every time you look at me that way  
It never fails, anytime, any place   
This burn in me is the coolest thing I've ever felt  
I melt 

Don't know how you do it  
I love the way I lose it, every time  
What's even better  
Is knowing that forever you're all mine  
The closer you get, the more my body aches  
One little stare from you is all it takes

I melt every time you look at me that way  
It never fails, anytime, any place  
This burn in me is the coolest thing I've ever felt  
I melt

_I melt every time you look at me that way  
It never fails, anytime, any place  
This burn in me is the coolest thing I've ever felt  
I melt_

Every time you look at me that way  
I melt, I melt

----------------------------- End of Chapter -----------------------------------------------------------

A/N: Well, that was chapter six. It is rather long but I think it was good…or at least I hope it was. I know…shocking…I actually allowed them to get close but I wouldn't count on it for very long. If you've read 'Breaking Point' then you know my style is not keeping couples together. But I have to admit I like Nicki better than Sara for Michael…(Sorry Sara, hope you forgive me). What do you think Nicki or Sara? Just curious! Well, I suppose I need to get working on chapter seven. The drama is very close to starting so please stay tuned!!! LOVE YOU GUYS!!!!

2nd Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN RASCAL FLATTS 'I MELT' BY THE WAY. I DIDN'T WANT IT SPOILED AT THE TOP OF THE CHAPTER!!! THANKS!!!! AND I OF COURSE DON'T OWN MICHAEL, LJ OR ANYTHING TO DO WITH PRISON BREAK…BUT I WOULD LIKE TO OWN MICHAEL!!! I OWN NICKI, DANI AND EVERYTHING SURROUNDED BY THEM EXEPT TIPP CITY!!!


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with Prison Break or any of its contents. I do not own Michael Scofield, Lincoln Burrows, Lincoln Burrows Jr. or anything associated with those characters. I do however own the rights to Nicole Burlow and Danielle Evans.

A/N: Well, here is chapter seven. I don't really have anything to say about it really surprisingly enough. I think this chapter will bring the exact 'stuff' needed in this particular book.

**1 day later…**

----------------------- Nicole's Apartment ---------------------- (8:32 a.m.) -----------------------

…_Are you serious? Did I seriously sleep on the couch last night when I have a bed calling my name? Wow, my neck is seriously stiff. Wait, that is not my hand…Hold on…_

"Michael! Michael!" Nicki scrambled getting up off the couch and stood directly in front of Scofield with her hands placed firmly on her hips. She watched the man open his eyes slightly and sigh. "Michael, get up…we fell asleep…"

"…good…go back to sleep…" Lazily Michael gently folded his arms together in front of his chest and shut his eyes.

…_men…they're all the same…lazy…_

Nicki sighed and rolled her green eyes as she grabbed her usual black bag from the end of the couch and grabbed a back of Marlboro lights. She glanced down at the now sleeping Michael and smiled. His body was gently rested against her couch, arms lazily in front of him and head turned toward the back of the couch. He reminded Nicki of Mason and the constant reminder nearly killed her on the inside.

She began walking toward the patio of the tiny apartment and noticed LJ and Dani sleeping in the bedroom together. Dani's body was firmly placed around LJ's as he held her close to his bare chest. The dark brunette sighed yet again and persisted to walk to her smoking destination. There was a tiny love seat patio couch on the small cement square that was known as the 'smoker's kingdom'. She placed her almost tired body across the couch and pulled out a cigarette that had been calling her name all morning.

The small puffs from the white cigarette filled the patio and could be seen visibly due to the couple inches of snow on the ground. Nicki shut her eyes as the expression on her face was increasingly content as she inhaled the smoke and exhaled it in tiny circles. She peered inside the patio glass doors and saw Scofield with his arms stretched out over his head yet was still sound asleep. A smile soon covered the young woman's face until she was rudely interrupted by a certain sibling.

"Do you have any shampoo I can borrow Nicki?" Dani opened the patio sliding glass door wearing nothing but a flannel button down shirt and Snoopy slippers.

"Aren't you cold?" Nicki placed her cigarette in the tray by the couch and giggled. She rubbed the cigarette on the bottom of the ash tray as the flame drew away.

"Yes, so if you don't mind…just tell me where the shampoo is and I'll be off in the shower…" Shivering Dani folded her arms in front of her chest and sighed.

"It's in the bottom of my sink in my bedroom. So get inside before you catch a cold." She said grabbing her pack of cigarettes and lighting one up. The smoke from the cigarette soon filled the patio as Dani closed the sliding glass doors.

Nicki began to think about her life in general. The thought of being with another man after the pain and suffering she encountered with Mason worried her mind. Nicki was not yet over Mason but still wanted more than anything in the world to say she was. She knew that she would do anything for another man in her life but her body seemed as if it didn't want to let her get close to another man after the pain caused by a single man. Nicki defined pain as human weakness almost as a sort of failure that could only be cured is happiness and that was a rarity in her life.

She placed her head against her arm which was currently resting against the edge of the couch. Her light blue eyes began staring at the glass doors. Nicki lifted her head so she could take the cigarette out of her mouth with her hand as she heard Michael sliding the doors of the apartment. Michael was carrying two big cups of coffee in each of his hands for Nicki and him to enjoy. Michael sat the two coffee cups on a little table near the couch that Nicki was sitting on. Scofield reached his right hand out to Nicki's hand that had the burning cigarette in it and took the cigarette. He placed it in the ash tray while shaking his head.

"If you keep taking my cigarette from me, I will just buy more and sooner or later I will run out of money." Nicki said grabbing a cup of coffee from the table and taking a small sip of the hot delicious beverage.

"Then I guess you will have to quit smoking because I am going to keep taking your cigarettes away from you until you learn your lesson." Scofield said in a sleepy voice sitting down next to Nicki with the other cup of coffee in his left hand.

"Aren't you cold out here? It's like 9 degrees outside this morning." Nicki said trying to change the subject to one she wouldn't have to fight.

"Yes I… stop trying to change the subject. You need to stop this habit Nicole. People die from the harmful effects of smoking and I would hate to see a young lady like you lose your life to such a dirty habit."

"Did you get a new hair cut? You look different." Nicki said still attempting to change the subject.

"No I haven't got my hair cut and how am I looking nice when I am wearing just a pair of plain denim jeans and well…that is about it." Michael looked down at his shivering exposed chest and chuckled. "Now quit trying to change the subject. If you don't do anything about this habit, I will have to break it for you…"

"Let's just go inside before you catch a cold. The last thing a girlfriend needs is to have a sick man protecting her from the harmful dangers of the world which I now discovered isn't just creepy men but cigarettes also." Rolling her eyes, Nicki lifted her body away from the couch and opened the sliding glass doors.

Michael soon followed Nicki into the apartment and around the corner into the open kitchen. He sat his smiley face coffee cup on the bar of the kitchen and smiled. Nicki propped herself against the tiny bar and folded her hands out in front of her body as she gave Michael a sort of 'puppy face'.

"Why are you giving me that look?" Scofield shook his head and walked just in front of Nicki as he placed his index fingers inside of her black dress pant belt loops. He pulled her in closer to his body and smiled. "You know I am a sucker for that look baby."

"Then perhaps you should listen to me more often…" The dark brunette continued to pout toward Michael until she noticed Dani walking into the kitchen with drenched hair and what looked like an old pajama set from years ago.

"Good morning Nicki…Michael…looks like you guys had a lovely night last night. Michael, may I suggest a shirt…in case you haven't been outside…it is freakin' cold so you might want to cover up your chest. I'm not interested." Dani grabbed her everyday coffee cup and poured some of Michael's coffee into the container.

"That's okay…I wasn't interested in you either. I don't feel like going to jail…jail-bait." He turned to look at Dani then continued to kiss Nicki's neck as he did so.

"Jail bait? I'm 19 for your information…" Rolling her brown eyes the blonde sighed and opened the newspaper to the entertainment section and began reading it on top of the bar stool. "Did you stay the night Michael?"

"Yes he did Danielle; I do in deed believe that I'm old enough to have a man over. It's not like we did anything anyway dude." Nicki removed Michael from her neck and began to stare deeply toward her younger sibling in sheer anger.

"Hey, I was just asking a question Nicki…calm down. I do in fact realize that you're allowed to have guys over man. I was just asking a question…so chill before you get yourself into some sort of fit and find yourself crying on the ground…again…" The young blonde rolled her eyes once more and watched LJ scratch his head in the doorway of her bedroom. "Good Morning LJ, how did you sleep last night?"

"Do we have any doughnuts?" LJ questioned in a raspy morning voice. He was currently wearing his usual baggy jeans to where you could see the bright red boxers brim against his bare torso.

"Yes, there in the pantry…" Nicole pointed to a pantry beside the refrigerator and looked at Michael in confusion. "Was he here in my house the entire night?" She glanced toward the front coat closet and envisioned a bat in her grasp.

"No, he got here this morning and fell asleep while I took a shower…by myself…" The young woman added looking at Nicki with extreme innocence across her face and in her eyes. She blew a kiss toward LJ and smirked. "You know what? I'm old enough…he was here…so what? He is my boyfriend and needed a place to stay."

"Alright, I have to be going to work…" Scofield kissed Nicki on the cheek and smiled. He wrapped his arms around her tiny frame once more and lightly kissed her on the tip of her nose. "I'll see you after work baby."

"I guess…because it is my day off!" Nicole yelled and began to dance waving her arms and giggling at the same time. "It's my day off! It's my day off!" She began to parade around the kitchen only to make Michael smile.

"…I'm leaving now…before you start singing or even worse…" The tattooed man waved goodbye and left the apartment without another single word.

"Hey Dani, I have to go to work with Michael. He wants me to learn the art of mopping a floor. I'll see you after work though sweetie." LJ smiled, kissed Dani and followed Michael out the door.

"You really know how to clear a room Nicki." Dani persisted to say placing her newspaper on top of the bar and smirking. "Cheer up Nick."

"It's not that easy. Do you think he noticed?" The dark brunette continued to lean against the counter and watch her sister fold the newspaper into a neat stack on top of the bar. She looked out the window of the apartment to find Michael pulling out of the driveway with LJ riding shot gun.

"No, he is smart…but not that smart. I can tell though…I can tell…" Dani looked down toward the ground then up at Nicki's body with intensity in her eyes.

---------------------------- Food Town ------------------------- (1:16 p.m.) ------------------------

"…I've mopped a floor before…" LJ rolled his eyes and grabbed the handle from the mop bucket. He looked at Michael and sighed as he began mopping the hard floor of aisle twelve.

"I know you have, but practice makes perfect…" Michael chuckled and grabbed the other mop as he began washing the opposite end of aisle twelve. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed LJ dancing to his own beat at the opposite end of the aisle.

"You've got to be kidding me…what kid would take their time to switch the soup cans…wait…I would…never mind." The young man sighed and continued to mop the floor with a sort of dance in his stroke.

"You really are serious about Danielle aren't you? I've never seen you so serious about a girl since you pushed a young girl out of a swing in second grade…"

"I guess you could say that. Dani taught me that I actually have a future and that I need to start thinking about that before I miss the opportunity. She says that I have a great future ahead of myself. Everyday she teaches me the meaning of life…not to mention she has a sister who tries to kill me everyday…but that is just an obstacle I need to overcome."

"…Yes but Nicole is a very understanding woman who has been hurt by an asshole on the way…" Michael sighed and looked over toward George. "…A very rude asshole who deserves my foot in his ass."

"Uncle Michael, dad would never approve of such language in front of me…that is bad parenting." LJ smiled.

"I just hope that one day I can gain Nicki's respect, Nicki's trust and her heart." Scofield smiled and watched LJ begin to moon walk down the wet aisle until he stopped directly in front of Michael.

"She just needs time Michael…" Michael's nephew stated looking up toward his uncle sticking his tongue out. "Are you going to moon walk with me or am I going to have to go solo?"

With a mere chuckle Michael joined his nephew in the very talented dance move known as the moon walk. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed George staring at the two men in the aisle and sigh. Michael continued to flow his arms out to the side and move his feet across the slippery tile. On the contrary LJ was sliding across the floor on all fours barking as if he were a beagle.

"LJ, I never thought I'd say this but quit barking…" Scofield raised a single eyebrow and shook his head in disbelief. "I never thought I'd say that…" He whispered just under his breath.

"You really should think about what you say before you truly regret it!" LJ smiled and looked at Michael with eyes that could only put any human being into tears of happiness. He smiled, wiped the soap from the floor onto his jeans and continued to mop the aisle alongside Michael.

------------------------------ Nicole's Apartment -------------------- (3:16 p.m.) -----------------

"Are you kidding me, I doubt he even noticed it Nicki…Michael is smart but not that smart no offense…" Dani rolled her eyes and took a sip of her mountain dew. "Besides, if he notices that small stain I would have to go around calling him Sherlock Holmes."

"Dani, I just don't want to screw up this time…not like with Mason. If I ever have to go through another Mason I may die or possible kill him." Nicki rolled her eyes and continued to run her finger along the rim of her glass of milk.

"LJ is taking me ice skating tonight supposedly but you know how he can be. God love the little guy but he isn't the most dependable man in the entire world. But Michael on the other hand, he is funny…and very cute." The young woman took a sip of her mountain dew once more and sat it down on the counter. She shot a tiny glance toward the front window and a smile appeared on her face.

Nicole smiled toward the front window along side her sister and watched the young men march up to the front door and waltz in as if they owned the place. One was extremely tall, covered in tattoos and had a single rose resting in his giant ears. The other man however was short, wearing a plain white T-shirt and a pack of gum in his right hand. Danielle smiled and held up the pack of gum toward her body. She examined it at first then sighed.

"Okay, Michael brings a rose…suitable…and you bring a pack of gum? Where on…wait…Why on Earth would you bring your woman a pack of gum…I like flowers." The blonde sighed once more and placed the box inside her front jean pocket.

"…You told me that gifts come from the heart and plus that is all they had over at the Quickie Mart…" LJ's face slowly turned a carnation pink until Dani smiled and gently touched the side of his face. "…I'm sorry…" He whispered into her ear.

"If only you were Michael?" Dani joked. She wrapped her arms around the love of her life and giggled. "I'm just kidding LJ…I realize your just not too smart…but that's why we get along so wonderfully."

"…What am I supposed to say to that Dani?" The young man shook his head and propped his head just above hers.

"You could start by saying 'I love you' and taking me ice skating like you promised…but this time try not to run over the snow cone vender…he really is a nice clown…"

"…Clown being the key word in that sentence…" LJ sighed and shook his head in disgrace. "Apparently you don't know the entirety of my childhood. Back when my parents were still together my father decided to hire a clown for my birthday party. Well, that clown was scary and gave me nightmares that entire summer. The next year I saw a clown at the carnival and well…I guess you can guess the end."

"I'm sorry about that LJ. I guess I didn't realize you still had a childish fear of innocent little clowns. I'll do better to protect you from the horrors of clowns." Dani grabbed LJ's hands and began to sway them in the middle of their bodies. She looked up and smiled.

"Are you ready to leave yet?" LJ interrupted as he began to think about his childhood horrors of clowns and other mythical animations. He looked around the living room and spotted Michael and Nicole in the corner of the room talking secretly.

"Yes, but we're taking my truck. I'm not going around town once more in the 'loser cruzer'…not again…" The young blonde sighed and made her way through the front door alongside LJ in a fashionable manor.

"We're taking the shag wagon and that is final!" The young man opened the door to his beloved station wagon and helped his girlfriend into the rusty torn passenger seat and smiled. "Ice skating…here comes LJ…and as for you stupid ass clowns…my skate is coming to your ass…"

"LJ, what did I say about that potty mouth of yours. If I didn't know any better I'd say you and Nicki are twins." Dani sighed and watched LJ start the car and drive away.

------------------- The living room of Nicole's apartment ------------------- (3:32 p.m.) -------

"I'm really thankful for everything you've done but I can't accept it all…" Nicki turned her back toward Michael and smirked. "But I will anyway…" She jumped into Michael's arms and kissed him.

"I'm glad I met you…" Scofield smiled and kissed the young woman once more until his face turned red. "I don't know whether I should say this or not but I will anyway…I think if have found someone for me and that someone is you…"

"Yeah, you shouldn't have said that…" Nicole hopped down from Michael's grasp and sighed. She folded her arms in front of her chest and looked out the window toward the blue pick up in the drive way. "I'm really sorry but I don't think I can do this anymore…I just realized I'm not over Mason…"

"…Wow…that would have been nice to know a while ago…" He placed his hands deep inside his pockets and looked toward Nicki with intensity in his eyes. His feet were placed firmly in front of Nicki until he slowly stepped back only to find himself hurting more.

…_Love…_

"I'm sorry…I just…" She looked down toward the ground and felt Michael's fingers reach her lips to silence her. The dark brunette looked up and shook her head releasing the grasp of Michael. "You've been nothing but a wonderful guy to me but I believe I should end this before we get further…if you know what I mean…"

"I respect your decision Ms. Burlow…"

"Please, you know I don't like being called that…it is and will always be Nicki Mr. Scofield…"

"…Michael…" Scofield smiled and hugged the dark brunette tightly until he could feel her heart beat against his chest. He gently kissed the top of her head and grabbed her hands then intertwined his own.

"I'm sorry; I guess I wouldn't make a very good actress…"

"It's not that you wouldn't make a good actress, you just got hurt by an asshole."

"I know."

"Listen, I want to take you somewhere…Will you please come with me?" He smiled and swayed their hands easily from side to side in high hopes she would say yes.

Nicole nodded her head gently against his chest and tilted her head toward his face. She looked up at the tattooed man and smirked as a smile hurried across her face. Michael placed his arm around her neck and led her out to the back of the apartment. Setting out in the backyard was a giant blue trampoline, a table with champagne and a small portable CD player beside the white decorated steps leading up to a quilt sprawled over the top of it. Nicki smiled and hurried her way up the steps and laid her body spread out over the blanket.

The dark brunette pointed toward Michael signaling him to come closer. She watched Scofield smile and walk closer toward the trampoline. Michael walked up the steps and jumped high sending Nicki slightly in the air. He smiled and lay down beside her as she tucked her arms under her head and looked down at her own body. Her shirt crept up as soon as she placed her arms under her head exposing the lower portion of her stomach. The jeans on her very body were just low enough to expose the brim of her black thong and tattoo. She had a small tattoo of a water lily on the bottom right of her stomach directly in the middle of her the thong's fabric and exposed stomach.

Scofield noticed the tattoo and moved his hand down her side and to the black fabric against her lower body. He lifted the small piece of fabric to see the rest of the beautiful pink flower. Tiny Goosebumps appeared on her stomach creating a small shiver down her entire body. Noticing the shiver Michael smiled and kissed her stomach once then looked up at the expression on her face. It was a toss up between content and nervous. The tattooed man kissed the top of her belly button once more and left a small trail of kisses around the side of her belly button, against her T-shirt and finally reaching her soft lips.

"I don't know where you learned to do that, but they are good…" Nicki smiled and giggled creating a small vibration against Michael's chest. She continued to smile as Scofield looked down and chuckled. "…Sorry…" She whispered realizing she 'ruined' the moment as she did so.

…_I ruined the moment yet again…_

"I have an idea…" Michael jumped up on the trampoline allowing Nicki to elevate in the air a brief moment. He walked toward the CD player and pressed play. Out of no where a song began to play and he looked up at Nicki with intense blue eyes.

"How did you know I loved this song? Have you been in my truck or did Dani tell you?" Nicki questioned wrapped her arms around Michael's neck as they began to dance on the trampoline.

"Let's just say I have my connections…just listen to the music baby…" He said hushing the young woman and moving her around the trampoline as if it was a ball room of some sort.

_This time, This place  
Misused, Mistakes  
Too long, Too late  
Who was I to make you wait  
Just one chance  
Just one breath  
Just in case there's just one left  
'Cause you know,  
you know, you know_

CHORUS  
That I love you  
I have loved you all along  
And I miss you  
Been far away for far too long  
I keep dreaming you'll be with me  
and you'll never go  
Stop breathing if  
I don't see you anymore

One my knees, I'll ask  
Last chance for one last dance  
'Cause with you, I'd withstand  
All of hell to hold your hand 

_I'd give it all  
I'd give for us  
Give anything but I won't give up  
'Cause you know,  
you know, you know_

CHORUS

So far away  
Been far away for far too long  
So far away  
Been far away for far too long  
But you know, you know, you know

I wanted  
I wanted you to stay  
'Cause I needed  
I need to hear you say  
That I love you  
I have loved you all along  
And I forgive you  
For being away for far too long  
So keep breathing  
'Cause I'm not leaving  
Hold on to me and, never let me go

"Sometimes I think that I was the lucky one…the one who found you in just the right amount of time baby…I'll never hurt you and I will always be here for you and I love you Nicki. I know I've only known you for a little over a month but I feel like I've known you for ages…" Michael admitted kissing Nicki's hand until he suddenly felt hers slip away.

"I wish I could say that back Mr. Scofield…"

"Ms. Burlow…"

"It's Nicki…"

"…And I am Michael…"

Nicki took a step back until she fell off the trampoline exposing her leg. She felt her leg and panicked. Her heart raced as Michael came to her rescue quickly. He looked down at her leg and immediately knew something was wrong.

"Nicki, can you hear me?" Scofield yelled looking around the yard panicking.

The dark brunette looked up at Michael and only saw a sort of light around his body and sighed. She closed her eyes and became unconscious rapidly. Michael held her in his arms and called 9-1-1 on his cell phone quickly.

"Please don't leave me, Nicki…" He added closing his cell phone and kissing the young woman's forehead.

----------------------------------End of Chapter --------------------------------------------------------------------------

A/N: Well, Happy late Holidays. Sorry I didn't get this out quicker but it seems I've been busy with the season and have a project to do so yeah, that pretty much wasted my time but hey…it is out now. I would appreciate all comments and what not. I hope you guys are enjoying the book, if not please send me a message or whatever for any possible critiques. The story will pick up soon, I just have to establish everything….

Thanks for reading,

Spacecoastbabe15


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with Prison Break and never will. I do however own the characters Nicole and Danielle but that is about it.

A/N: Well, when we left off last chapter poor innocent Nicki merely blacked out in the arms of Michael. Will she live to tell the tale of a night on a trampoline with a gorgeous guy or will the fall be fatal? Will the hurt Mason caused be too much for the young woman to handle or will she build up the strength to love another man? Will the love between Danielle and LJ remain or is there a rough patch about to strike? Stay tune to this chapter for the answers.

**Later that Night…**

-------------------- Tipp City Community Hospital room 34 -------------------- (8:14 p.m.) ---

Michael slid a chair from across the room toward Nicki's bedside. Nicki was currently sleeping in the provided hospital bed, her arms gently laid beside her weary body and a hot pink cast on her injured left ankle. He smiled and grabbed a hold of her hand and gently massaged it until a feint smile appeared across her tired face. Scofield glanced around the room then back toward his girlfriend.

"Nicki…can you hear me baby?" The tattooed man proceeded to ask hoping for any sign of consciousness from the young woman in the hospital bed. He continued to rub her hand and smile.

Nicki lifted her eye lids once more only to see a giant blur of Michael's handsome face. She quickly shut her eyes once more and opened them. Again, a huge blur appeared in her vision and she began to panic. Her hands grew tense as well as the rest of her weary body. Realizing her problem, Scofield began rubbing her forehead back toward her already pulled up hair. His fingers slowly moved down her hair until they came to a stop toward the beginning of the fluffy white pillow gently placed underneath her head.

"Everything is going to be okay…I promise…" Michael reassured Nicole pulling down the railing of the bed and lifting his own body beside hers. He rested his head on the tip of her shoulder and carefully kissed her neck. "I promise everything will be okay…" The man whispered into her ear almost tickling her.

"…Michael…where is Dani?" Nicki questioned with a small cough in between her very words. She opened her eyes yet again to find the image faded.

"She is with LJ ice skating. I called them ten minutes ago and LJ said he would be here as quick as he could with Dani. Then they went on fighting about the…loser cruzer…I'm not exactly sure what that has to do with anything…but…" Scofield paused and watched Nicki struggle opening her eyes. "Just go to sleep and I'll take care of everything…"

"What time is it?" The young woman moaned and tried to read the clock next to her bed but failed. Frustrated, she squeezed Michael's hand and sighed.

"It's about 8:20…why? You're not going to work today. I called George to tell him you were in the hospital and threatened him that if he dares to call you here I'll kick his ass." Michael added kissing the back of her ear then smiling. He then removed the tiny piece of hair behind her ear and sighed.

"No, I have to go to work…I need the money Michael. I told you this…I can't just miss a day of work or we'll…well…I'll go bankrupt and I can't have this…not with Danielle here. I must go! Tell the doctor I had to go to work." Nicki looked down at her wrists for the IV's but was unsuccessful in finding them. "Why can't I see these fucking things…?"

"Baby, you just need to calm down. They're there for a reason Nicki. Listen, I'll take care of the bills and what not. I'll just take it out of my account and get you better. Right now you are my priority and I intend on keeping my priorities straight." He looked up at Nicki and rubbed the side of her face.

"What exactly do you do for a living Michael?" Nicki opened her eyes yet again only to see more blurry images of what she assumed to be a hospital room. She cuddled her head up to Scofield and smiled as she rested her arm across his chest. "You're wearing your blue and white striped shirt…"

"How exactly would you know that?"

"When I did your laundry I noticed the missing button three buttons down on your shirt and the tiny tear near the bottom of the shirt just above your belly button. Now quit trying to change the subject…"

"Well, before I became a janitor I was a structural engineer in Chicago. I graduated from Morton East High School in 1993 and got my degree at Loyola. When my father left and my mother died it was only my brother and me. It turns out my mother left me 90,000 dollars for my college in which I found out later in life that it was actual money that Lincoln borrowed for me. If I could go back and change how I treated him before I would Nicole Burlow…" A small tear spread across his face as he thought back to his childhood.

"I'm sorry Michael…Scofield…" She added grabbing a stronger grip to his shirt and smiling. Opening her eyes once more she finally saw an outline of Michael and giggled. "How old are you exactly? If you graduated in 1993 and I graduated in 2003…you're ten years older than me…"

"I'm 34 for your information young lady. Why is that relevant anyway?" Michael added tipping his head down and kissing her on the forehead. **(FYI: This is kind of ironic, I did the math for my book and in the show he is 29 but since my book is set five years later he is 34 then which is Wentworth Miller's actual age. I just thought I would point that out…sorry…on with the chapter!)**

"Nothing, I just didn't realize I was dating a grandpa…!" A giggle came out of her mouth as Michael tickled her sides profusely. "Would you quit that…I mean look on the Brightside…at least I'm dating a hot grandpa"

"Well, if I'm a grandpa doesn't that mean you're technically jail bait?" Scofield bit the side of her neck playfully and smiled. "That could work to my advantage you know?"

"I wouldn't want you to get arrested…" Nicki responded seductively.

"So tell me more about yourself…"

"Well, my full name is Nicole Kristine Burlow. I'm from Smithville, Texas. My birthday is January 31, 1985 and I have a boyfriend whom which can be difficult at times but when he wants to be he is the greatest man I've ever met."

"This man you speak of must be pretty great to get an introduction in your biography."

"I guess you can say that."

"I have to tell you something Nicole. Something very important…I'm leaving for Chicago tonight…" Michael blurted out as a small look of relief spread to his face then slowly to the rest of his body. "I wanted to tell you earlier but I wasn't sure how to bring it up and I'm sorry but I have to go."

"Are we interrupting anything?" LJ opened the hospital room door with Dani around his arms and a bouquet of daisies in another hand. He placed the flowers next to Nicki and quickly ran away from her.

"Why are you running from my sister?" Dani nudged LJ for answers and sighed. "Are you still afraid that she secretly has a bat built somewhere on her body and is going to kill you mysteriously without anyone knowing? I guarantee you that she doesn't have a bat and will not kill in a hospital…you will have to wait until we get out…"

"No…yes…maybe…why did you have to bring that up baby? You know that your sister hates me and I swear this woman can smell weakness…" LJ grabbed a seat in the corner of the room and opened his comic book. He looked up and saw Nicki staring at him. Immediately he dug his nose back into his magazine and began reading the adventures.

"How are you holding up sis?" Danielle questioned grabbing the hand opposite of Michael and smiling.

"Fine…" The dark brunette mumbled attempting to look at her sister but was unable to due to the fact her vision was still blurred. She squeezed her sister's hand and nestled closer to Scofield.

"I unfortunately can't stay long but I wish you the best of luck and on the count of me being gone LJ will be here to take care of you and tend to your every need. Michael, are you ready?" Dani closed her coat and waited for Michael just outside of the hospital door.

"You didn't tell me you were leaving with my sister Michael." Nicki pointed her eyes toward Scofield and sighed. "You're a big boy Michael…I'm not your mother and I respect your decision to leave but promise me you'll come back to me soon…I want you…I need you…" She deeply admitted.

"I will…I have to go…" He lifted his body away from the bed and smiled. The tattooed man kissed Nicole and grabbed his jacket from the table beside the hospital bed. "I'll see you soon Ms. Burlow…"

"Thank you Mr. Scofield…" Nicole watched the feint shadow of Michael leave the room only to find LJ sitting in the corner smiling and shaking at the same time.

Nicki lifted her hand and wiped away the tears of Michael not being there with her. She opened her eyes to see colors, such colors that were almost unreal. The entire room seemed so vibrant or perhaps a better word to describe such greatness would be brilliant. Ideas of Michael leaving her for Chicago soon filled her busy mind and many tears followed each thought despite the promise of him coming back. Her hands grew shakier as did the rest of her body.

_What if he leaves me for Chicago? My heart can't take another heart break. What am I talking about? I don't even love that man?_

"Nicki? Are you okay? You're not dying are you?" LJ sat his comic book on the window seal of the hospital room and walked over toward the dark brunette. He sat down on the edge of the table and sighed. "Don't' die; I wouldn't know how to break the news to Michael like that?"

"I'm not going to die LJ. I'm also not going to kill you with my baseball bat so don't worry about it dude. Now, I need you to sit down before your uncle gets back…wait…never mind. I almost forgot that he isn't coming back…for a while at least. Does he ever talk about me to you LJ?" The young woman grabbed LJ's hand friendly and smiled.

LJ stood there for a moment as he noticed the complete silence fill the room between him and his uncle's girlfriend. His face slowly turned red as his fingers began to feal somewhat numb despite the warm temperature of the hospital room. In the back of his mind he knew the truth was that Nicole was all Michael ever talked about but didn't want to say anything. The truth was the other day he had told him that he loved this woman despite only knowing her for a mere month. LJ grabbed his head and shook it profusely.

"Are you okay LJ? You don't have to answer the question if it is going to make you that uncomfortable…?" Nicki noticed the sweat pouring down the young man's face and smiled. "You do realize that I don't hate you. I'm just not going to let some punk ass hurt my sister the way I've been hurt."

"Yes, I mean I know…listen…Michael talks about you as if you were saint of some sort. So asking me that question is completely pointless. I may not have known my uncle or my dad that long for that matter but I do know when he is serious about something and he is Nicki." The young man shook his head and looked into Nicki's eyes. "He may never admit it due to the fact Sara hurt him but he loves you…"

"Who is Sara?" Nicki questioned innocently.

"Sara…she is…she is…our sister…I mean…our aunt…fuck…she is Michael's ex-girlfriend. They dated inside the prison for a while but he found out she was with another man when he visited the park somewhere just outside of Chicago. He has never loved a woman before the way he loved Sara." LJ looked down at his shoes and sighed. "Sometimes I still have the feeling he loves her. Every once and a while he will just stop randomly to think or whatever."

"How can you say he loves me when he loves her?" She questioned looking deep into the young man's eyes with great animosity.

"Listen, I didn't mean to get in the middle of all this Nicole. All I know is that he wants you more than anything and if you don't believe me I'm sorry but I can't say anything else." The young man smiled and grabbed his comic book from the window seal. He handed the book to Nicki and smirked. "Would you like to read about the ever-so-famous super man?"

"No thank you." Nicki answered back politely.

"Fine, I guess Michael was right when he said you were old…" A small chuckle escaped LJ as he sat the comic book beside the hospital bed and smirked. "I'm kidding…" He quickly admitted. "Please don't hurt me."

"I don't hate you LJ; didn't we just go over this?" The dark brunette questioned innocently looking up at LJ strangely. "I told you that I never hated you LJ and that I think you're perfect for my sister. I know that you make her the happiest she has ever been since the death of her father…you're exactly what she needs right now…god has blessed us with your presence."

"Aww…did you hear that on Oprah…because I'm more of the Jerry Springer type." LJ smiled yet again and lifted his body away from the chair. "I have to go…bye…" He said quickly leaving the room with nothing more to say.

…_I'm alone…wow…how boring…? I'm in a room by myself with nobody just alone by myself yet again…_

"Excuse me Ms. Burlow, I'm Doctor Sophia Benjamin. I'll be performing the surgery for your ankle tonight. Do you have any questions about this procedure?" The tall, blonde doctor questioned opening her clip board with a single blue pen in one hand and a stethoscope around her neck.

"No…" Nicki replied quietly.

"I'm going to have to take a few more x-rays before I endeavor on this surgery. Are you allergic to anything?"

"No…"

"Are you taking any medications we should know about before proceeding with the surgery?"

"No…"

"Are you pregnant?"

"What sort of question is that?" The patient questioned abruptly.

"It is just standard protocol. Now could you please just answer the question ma'am?"

"Yes, I'm a couple weeks pregnant…I just found out a couple weeks ago…"

"Do you know who the father is ma'am?"

"Do you look like a gynecologist? I'm pretty sure you are an ER doctor ma'am so please with all respect to you…leave my personal life out of this…"

"I'm sorry…" The doctor scribbled something into her clip board and looked up at Nicole with a sort of sad face of some sort or perhaps hurt. "Is there anyone I can contact to be there after your surgery in recovery?"

Nicki began to stare into the middle of the room aimlessly as many thoughts entered her busy mind. She knew that the one person she wanted more than anyone in the world with her would be Michael but also knew it was merely impossible. On the other hand she had LJ who was a concerned friend of the family but wasn't dependable. Dani would also be a great candidate but had night classes in which she was unable to miss not counting her bar tending job just south of Tipp.

"Ma'am, who would you like to be there?"

"Nobody…" Nicki smiled.

"Alright, I'll be back in a few minutes…" The blonde doctor looked up at Nicki and turned away. She walked out the door to find a shaggy haired young man standing just outside the hospital room. "Are you looking for something son?"

"…nothing but my friend…" LJ shook his head and entered the hospital room to find Nicki deeply in tears in the some what of a fetal position yet not. Her fractured left leg was straight but her other leg was twisted a bit.

"I assume you heard everything?" The dark brunette opened a single eye to find LJ with his hands in his pockets leaning against the back wall of the room. "Please don't tell Michael. I'm not ready for all this."

"Is it his?" The young man questioned looking down at his shoes then back up at the woman in the hospital bed. "I promise I won't tell him anything…"

"I don't know if it is his or not…I'm seven weeks pregnant which means it could be Michael's but it could be Mason's."

"Wait, Michael has been with you for eight weeks now. Only I would know because he has a calendar that counts the weeks you guys have been to-….wait…you cheated on him?" A sudden look of deception filled LJ's eyes.

"Please don't say anything to him…I promise you that I'm trying to fix everything right now. I mean, I have everything fixed, I just have to tie up the loose ends."

"No, you need to have one of those test thingy's down to determine who the father is Nicole Kristine Burlow…"

"…You better swear to me son, never ever use my middle name like that or I will shove my foot so far up your ass, you'll hope to see the light of day everyday…then I will bury you eight feet under the ground or the ocean…"

"Hey, calm down…I'm no one to judge you. I can't say as if my life is perfect Nicki…I have regrets, things I should have done differently and people I should have tied loose ends with…but that doesn't mean I'm a bad person and neither are you."

"LJ, if you say anything to Michael…" She paused a moment.

"I know…I know…I know…you'll shove your foot so far up my ass I'll wish for day light and will be buried seven feet underground…"

"…eight feet…and you're correct…"

"Whatever…seven-eight…I still don't want that to happen." LJ turned to face the blank white wall and smiled. "I'm leaving now…" He turned back around, waved goodbye and left the hospital.

---------------------------- Danielle's Truck ------------------------------- (10:02 p.m.) ----------

"I have to make the flight at eleven…" Michael added rummaging through his carry on bag for his cell phone. He continued to look through the front pockets, side pockets and eventually through the main zipper opening.

"Where did you last see your phone?" Dani questioned turning onto the highway turnpike. She placed her Ford Pick up into third gear and merged onto the highway.

"That's just it…I don't remember seeing it all day today…" He looked around the cab of the truck and sighed. "Do you think Nicki is upset with my choice to leave to Chicago?"

"I don't think she is upset with the fact you're leaving, it's the fact you left without a reason that hurt her more than anything…" The blonde smiled and glanced at Michael. "You have to remember she was hurt and still has that trust issue thanks to the dearest asshole whose name still hurts her more than a gun could."

"_**I'm bringing sexy-back…yeah…them other bro-" **_

"Hello?" Michael answered his phone before the rest of the chorus to his ring tone could be played. His face turned red as he listened to a laugh come out of the driver of the Ford.

"Mr. Scofield…" The other line said.

"Yeah, this is him…" He looked around the truck only to find Dani holding back the laughter she wanted so badly to let out but couldn't.

"Are you heading to Chicago yet?"

"Yes, I'm in a truck now to the airport."

"Do you remember our plans we discussed?"

"Yes, sir."

"Recite them…"

"There is a civilian in the car sir."

"Who are you talking to?" Dani interrupted turning down Carrie Underwood in the truck's CD player.

"It is the Chicago FBI base Dani. Shh…" Scofield whispered toward Dani relieving the mystery from the palm of her hand. He listened into the phone yet again to the other line and smiled.

"You need to be here in nine hours to have the doctor from the infirmary in Fox River to sign your release forms. If you don't have them signed by noon tomorrow, you will be placed in Fox River. It is mandatory that an inmate has the doctor sign the forms and you have failed to do so Mr. Scofield."

"…Consider it done…" Scofield flipped his phone down and placed it in the middle seat of the Ford. He glanced toward Dani and smirked. "Why are you giving me that face?"

"What face?" Dani questioned looking at Michael with innocent eyes before busting out with laughter. "So why exactly do you need to be in Chicago right now?"

"I have to get my release papers signed by noon tomorrow by the doctor at Fox River."

"What is Fox Riv-…that is a prison just outside Chicago…Where you an inmate? Wait that makes sense that is what Nicki was talking about with the land lord. Was LJ there?"

"Hell no, I was for a robbery at a bank in Chicago…that is where I witnessed my brother executed…that is Lincoln…LJ's father…" Michael said wiping the sweat from his forehead.

"I'm sorry…" The blonde said softly turning into the vast airport parking lot.

---------------------------- Tipp City Hospital ------------------------ (11:16 p.m.) ---------------

Nicki opened her eyes to find a completely different hospital room than before. She quickly glanced down at her injured knee only to find a different cast placed upon her leg. Her body was weak due to the fact she was on pain medication but she could still feel a pain on the lower half of her body.

"Are you okay?" A familiar voice questioned. The strange person handed Nicki a single white rose and kissed on the forehead. "I couldn't leave you."

------------------------------- End of Chapter ---------------------------------------------------------

A/N: DUM DUM DUM!!!!! Wonder what will happen? I'm sorry about the cliffhanger you guys but I had to get back to my 'old' habits. I have also decided to end this series with book one. My co-author and I have mutually decided the book would be better off combined into one. I have scheduled it to be roughly 40 chapters but it may differ. We'll just have to see how it all comes out in the writing process. I should have the next chapter in a few days or so. I still haven't touched my CP English class.

Thanks for reading,

Spacecoastbabe15 and Co-Author


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with Prison Break. I know that is a huge shock so be careful! LOL, I wish I owned Wentworth Miller as do most Prison Break fans.

A/N: Well, I left a huge cliffhanger last time. What will happen in Chicago? What secrets will be revealed? Will the separation between Nicki and Michael mess up what they just started? Does Dani and LJ have the strength to keep their relationship together or will they hit a road block? Please stay tune and read!

**Same day, same place…later that night…**

------------------- Hospital room 34 --------------------------------- (11:18 p.m.) -----------------

"Michael?" Nicki questioned in a raspy just-had-surgery voice. Her body was still weary from the immediate surgery she had an hour ago. She gently lifted her tired eyelids to find the outline of a tall man sitting beside her bed on a stool.

"I told you that I'd never leave you and I intend on keeping my promise…" A mysterious man answered grabbing Nicki's hand and rubbing it carefully as he examined the rest of her body.

"What happened in Chicago?" The dark brunette questioned smiling as she felt the man's hand slowly crawl up her arm and to the side of her neck. His hand slowly ventured its way down her side until it suddenly stopped at her same hand again.

"Baby, it's me Mason. Why on Earth would you've mistaked me for some skinny punk ass…?" Mason drawled smiling and placing a single red rose in a tiny crystal vase next to the hospital bed on a small wooden night stand.

"Where is Michael? What did you do to him? Don't think I'm stupid and don't know about your connections up in Chicago boy." Nicki snatched her hand away from Mason and folded both of her hands just below her chest and sent him a glare. Her eyes began to see the vivid image of Mason wearing a business suit and freshly polished shoes.

"I've done nothing of the sort baby girl. You know I don't have to compete with that boy little girl. I love you and that's all that matters Nicki. I bought us a house back in Smithville. I want you to move in with me Nicole. You told me that I wasn't a good enough man and I are trying to re-build what we had baby." The southern man admitted rapidly smiling and kissing the top of her hands.

"Get away from me Mason. Daddy said that if you come even ten feet before me he'll shoot you with his shot gun boy. So I suggest you take your business suit wearing ass away from me before I hit this button." Nicki threatened holding a single finger just above the red emergency button beside her bed.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you baby girl, Michael will be as good as dead. Then again I'm sure my father would love a mounted man's head next to his 16 point Buck back at the house."

"Your daddy is a drunk. Don't you remember when I told you I didn't want nothin' to do with your daddy but you insisted on me seeing him? Do you remember what happened that day because I know I do…real good too?" The young woman continued to hover her finger over the red button as she noticed a doctor enter the room. Suddenly she placed her hands back folded over her chest and shut her eyes.

"Is there a problem Ms. Burlow? The staff heard you yelling from the other wing of the hospital and I wanted to make sure everything was okay?" A Hispanic doctor questioned setting a clip board down on the folded table in the corner of the room. He turned around to find Mason still sitting beside Nicki and Nicki with her eyes opened crying for help on the inside.

"Tell him you don't need him…" Mason whispered opening his jacket for Nicki to notice the sleek black gun in the inside pocket. He noticed Nicki's face turn pale at the site of the gun and smiled crookedly.

"Doctor, there is nothing going on here…I promise…I just…" Nicki stuttered looking from the doctor to the gun which was still visible even now. She looked around the room and squinted her eyes.

_God, I know I haven't been the best person in the entire world but I promise to be better…just please don't let me die today…_

"Are you sure this man isn't bothering you here?" The doctor looked deep into the eyes of the young woman and smiled. He carefully opened his lab coat to expose a knife he had hidden away in the inside pocket. "Are you sure?" He asked rather sarcastically to get his point across.

"Yes sir." She said as her eyes grew bigger and greener than anyone had ever seen.

"Okay, I'll be here to che-…" The Hispanic man ran up behind Mason, pulled out his dagger and stabbed the southern man into his side twice. He watched Mason drop to the ground beside the bed as a pool of blood appeared quickly. "Are you okay Nicole?"

"Who are you?" Nicki quickly questioned looking at the man with a strange yet friendly face. The thought of Mason never coming to attack her again gave her some sort of feeling of relief.

"My name is Sucre, Fernando Sucre…I'm a friend of Michael's. He wanted me to watch over you and I keep my promises after what he did for me back at Fox River. I'm paying off the debt I owe to him." Sucre quickly closed the hospital door and locked it. He placed the bloody southern man under Nicki's gurney and smiled. "I'm going to have to hide him and you will have to come with me. Sorry." He added.

"That's okay…I guess…" She replied curling her body closer to her stomach and shutting her eyes.

Fernando smiled and opened the door of the hospital room. He rolled the young woman away from her usual hospital room and took her into a secret room on the same floor. The room was filled with other deceased bodies along with a coroner in a small office space in the corner of the room. Nicki lifted her eyes a moment and shut them when she noticed the coroner move in closer to the two.

"Is this the woman who died giving labor to a baby back in ICU?" The grubby coroner questioned lifting up the thin white sheet to expose Nicki. "Yes, this looks like her." He pulled down the sheet to expose her stomach and smiled. "Poor girl, only eight weeks pregnant and the little guy had no chance." The man gently rubbed the young woman's stomach to feel a tiny bump in her stomach.

"I can't imagine what I would have done…" Sucre looked down at Nicki with his eyebrows crooked and the famous What-the-Fuck face put on at that very moment.

…_She's pregnant…?_

"You can go ahead and place the gurney in room four…I'll take care of the rest after lunch…poor woman…poor child…" The man remarked walking back to his office and shaking his head.

Sucre nodded in agreement and rolled the gurney into the designated room four and lifted Nicki away from the bed. He sat her in a rolling stool near the shiny metal table in the middle of the room. He slid Mason out from underneath the bed on wheels and lifted him on top on the blankets of Nicki's bed. Nicki stood up shakily and looked down at the deceased body who was now Mason, her ex-boyfriend, the man she at one point wanted to be with more than anything in the world. She grabbed his wrist opposite of his injury and looked around the room.

"I really did love him at one time. Now he could be the father of my baby and he'll never know…God damn it…" Tears filled the eyes of Nicki as she sat her head against Mason's lower arm and began crying despite everything he had down to her.

"I know you did…I'm sorry but we have to go…" Sucre lifted the dark brunette from the stool and placed her arm around his neck for better support. "I'm taking you home…"

**Next Day…**

--------------------------------- Chicago FBI base ----------------------------- (11:49 a.m.) ------

Scofield looked down at his navy blue suit and fixed his tie as he did before any major meeting. He looked in front of the giant FBI building in downtown Chicago and saw the structure as a grand piece of art. The tall structure seemed more like a museum by the outside looks but on the inside is was more or less a slump. Michael carefully walked inside and leaned against the receptionist window to find a young woman inside with beautiful red curly hair and a slim body structure.

"Hi welcome to the FBI bureau in downtown Chicago." The young woman said patiently.

"I have an appointment with the head of the state penitentiaries doctor department." Scofield recited from memory watching the young woman flip through a log book for his appointment. He looked around the vast reception area and smiled.

"Down the hall and it will be the second door on your right…" She directed Michael and pointed to the hallway to the left of the wooden reception desk.

"Thank you." Michael said politely looking down at his watch and continuing down the hall of the building.

That tattooed man walked down the hall until he came upon the second door on the right. He slowly walked into the room and took a seat in front of the desk and computer. There was currently nobody in the room, nothing but a couple picture frames and a computer. The room seemed to feel warm but only time could tell that feeling. The walls were poorly painted white and the lighting was horrible but good enough to see most of the room.

…_I'm surprised this person is even human…either that or they don't get out much…_

He picked up a pink picture frame on top of the desk and noticed the labeling 'daughter' across the bottom of it. In the picture was a young girl about 5-6 with gorgeous red hair and a smile that could make any grown man cry. Just then he noticed a woman with long flowing brown hair enter the room and sit in the chair across Michael. She looked up at Michael and hid her face behind the computer.

"…cute daughter…" Scofield remarked setting the picture gently back on top of the desk and smiling. He turned his head to face the young woman and continued to smile.

"She takes after her father…" The woman remarked looking at Michael as she watched his face turn a fluffy pale white.

"She does look like the man in the park I saw my first day out of prison Sara." Michael said.

"Michael, she is your daughter…you're her father. I found out five years ago when we were in the supply closet. A couple weeks after that I took a test and realized that I was pregnant with an inmate's child. I wasn't sure what to do so I took a trip to Washington to have the child…" Sara informed the tattooed man as she watched his face concentrate toward her every word.

Michael looked around the room as if it were spinning and closed his eyes…

"_Yup…What's your name mister? My name is Jenny Folger…but my mommy calls me Jen so I guess it's okay if you call me Jen too!" The young girl looked at Michael and watched him color in the carrot with great intensity filling his half closed blue eyes. _

"_I'm Michael by the way…Michael Scofield…" Scofield smiled and continued coloring in the bright orange carrot until the lines were completely filled and full of bold color. He tapped her tiny nose with his crayon and smiled. _

"_What was that for mister…mister Scofield?" Jenny looked up at the tattooed man with beaming eyes of admiration. She pulled her tiny crayon box away from the side of her seat and put all of her crayons in the correct order according to her vision of the rainbow. _

"_How old are you Miss Folger?" Michael looked down at the cute child and awaited her answer to his much anticipated question. _

"_I'm five…how old are you?" The young girl held up five tiny fingers indicating her age. She counted her fingers silently to make sure she had five held up. A smile appeared amongst her face when she realized she counted correctly. _

"_I'm 34 years young…" With a chuckle Michael attempted to raise enough fingers but looked down at the young girl and smiled. "I wish I had enough fingers to show you my age but it looks like to me I only have enough for ten years…sorry…"_

"Michael!" Ms. Tancredi yelled waving her right hand in front of his face profusely. She looked down at the picture of Jenny and smiled.

"Where is she now?" He asked looking down at his hands and examining each crease. Michael shut his eyes again only to see another flashback.

"_Where are your parents?" Scofield questioned looking around the bus for a sign of her guardians but had no such luck. In the front seats were a rather old couple in their 90's and in the back of him were two teenage kids resting on each others shoulders. _

"_Their in front of us dummy…That is my dad and that is my mom…" The red head giggled at Michael's stupidity and flicked his tattooed arm. Suddenly she bumped her head on the seat in front of her when the bus came to a screeching holt. "…" _

"Who were the people sitting in front of her on the bus who she claimed were her parents? Why wasn't she with you when you were at the park with the other kids?" Scofield questioned with great concern.

I couldn't cope with her at that time. Every time I look at her I think of you Michael. She doesn't know I'm her mother but does know of me. As for you, she has no idea who you are Michael. I didn't even think you were ever going to know about her and that was okay Michael." Sara looked into the screen of her computer and clicked the mouse twice.

"I don't know what to say to you Sara. You could have at least told me that I had a daughter. I want to see her…" Michael directed his attention back to the picture of his daughter and a tear entered right eye. The tear journeyed its way down the side of his nose landing on the collar of his shirt.

"It's better off you that she doesn't know you. The last thing I want is for my daughter to be subjected to her father…she doesn't need that…I don't need that Michael. I've found a man who wants to marry me and I'm not going to do anything to ruin that."

"…I wanted to marry you…" He added looking down at his hands and sitting them on top of his knees. "I would have given my life for you but you crushed my heart Sara. I hope things go well with your fiancé but as for OUR daughter…I want to see her…"

"Do you have the papers I need to sign?" Sara quickly changed the subject looking down at her keyboard as she began to type something. She glanced at a now frustrated Michael and sighed.

Michael said nothing as he handed the white packet of papers to the brunette. Their hands immediately touched the packet simultaneously and both looked up at smiled. Sara quickly looked away and opened the packet to the third page. She grabbed a black fountain pen and added her signature to the bottom of the page. Handing the packets back to Michael she felt his gentle touch against her arm. Her face turned a light rose pink as did his.

"I never meant to hurt you Sara…" Michael admitted placing the papers inside his jacket and standing up from the provided chair. He held his hand out for a shake.

"I know you didn't…" Sara said reaching her hand out to shake his. The warmth from his hand soon trickled down her body and placed a smile upon her face. "You can see Jenny anytime; just give me a call first though…"

"Thank you Sara…" Scofield glanced back at Sara and continued out the door and into the reception area. He turned back to look down the hallway and saw nothing. At that very moment he knew Sara was gone, gone forever.

----------------------------- Nicole's Apartment ---------------------- (3:48 p.m.) ----------------

"You know we can't be doing this in my sister's apartment. If she catches us together she will murder you with that baseball bat in the coat closet and that is not how I want my boyfriend…crippled I mean…" Dani turned onto her stomach and watched LJ reach his arms around his neck and lay his weary head on top of them.

"She isn't even home Dani, and it isn't my fault that we did that anyway. You're the one who said we should go to sleep in the apartment…" LJ argued looking down at Danielle who was on her stomach with her head against his bare chest. He lifted a single head out from underneath his head and ran his fingers gently through her blonde hair.

"Yeah, I said we should go to sleep in the apartment…sleep being the key word there LJ. And why is it my fault?" She questioned lifting her head from his chest and looking deep into his gorgeous piercing green eyes.

"Pie!" LJ blurted out looking around the room aimlessly.

"Pie?" Dani asked questioning her boyfriend's intelligence.

"Yeah, remember that is our 'secret word' whenever Nicki comes…well I heard a door." The young man quickly lifted Dani away from his body and put on his shirt. He looked just outside the door to find Sucre with Nicole's arm around his neck. "Shit, not only do we have your sister but we also have Sucre…I'm screwed…"

"You're not screwed LJ…" Dani quickly put on her tank top that was thrown on the ground and walked out of the bedroom. "Sis, home so soon?" She looked up at her sister as she buttoned the top of her jeans.

"Yes, Fernando was nice enough to bring me home early since Michael is out on business. Wait, why are you being so nice to me?" Nicki allowed Sucre to sit her gently on the couch as she waited for the answer from her little sister. Just then she watched LJ leave Danielle's bedroom with a shirt that was only buttoned half way.

"LJ?" Sucre questioned looking at the scrawny man in the doorway down the hall of the apartment. "I haven't seen you since…well…that day two years ago…"

"LJ, I told you the rules and you broke them…" The dark brunette stated looking deep into the coat closet as if the bat would come flying out into her very arms.

"I'm really sorry about your father LJ. He was a good man, everyone would agree with me when I say that. Listen, I hate to run so quickly but I have to pick up my daughter from her abuela's house. I'll catch you guys later." Sucre said opening the front door of Nicole's apartment. "Say hi to Michael for me."

"Bye Fernando." Nicki said waving toward the Puerto Rican man. "LJ, your uncle isn't here but it looks like you would know better than to sleep with Dani in my apartment."

"A little help…" LJ nudged his girlfriend with puppy eyes. "Please…" He begged.

"Sis, it was just a single night. I'm 19 now and LJ is 21 therefore I believe I'm old enough to know what is right and what is wrong. Whether you want to believe it or not, I'm in love with LJ. I love him with every last piece of my heart and that is something you're just going to have to get use to before this is all said and done." Dani walked away from LJ and sat on the coffee table directly in front of Nicki.

"I know, he is a good man and that is why I will let him stay if he needs a place Dani. He loves you and that is all that matters. But if he makes a single wrong move the bat is coming out and there will be hell to pay young man." Nicki drawled looking from LJ to Dani with eyes of forgiveness.

"Are you on crack?" LJ questioned sitting next to his girlfriend on the coffee table. He touched the tip of Nicki's forehead and sighed. "No, I think she is actually serious. Thanks Nicole Burlow, this means a lot to me. I promise I won't hurt your sister."

"Don't take this personally, but you're a dork." Nicole admitted looking down at her cast and smiling. The thought of Michael entered her mind as the sight of her cast did so.

"I knew you were back!" The young man stood up from the table and hugged the dark brunette sitting on the couch. "I knew you loved me."

"Honey, she will kill you. She rarely ever lets me hug her led alone a man who she really doesn't like do so." Dani pulled LJ back down toward her body and smiled. "That's just the way she is. Shit, we're going to be late for the showing of Superman six. Let's go…Nicki will you be okay?"

"Yes, you two kids leave…I'll be just fine here honestly." Nicki smiled and watched her sister and boyfriend leave the apartment through the window.

"We're taking my truck…there is no way in hell I'm going to the only theater in Tipp in the loser cruzer." Dani hopped in the driver's seat of her Ford pick up and awaited LJ to come inside. She placed her keys into the ignition and smiled.

"Fine, but for the last time…it's the shag wagon!" LJ cried in defeat over his own words.

"Hold on LJ, I have to go tell Nicki something really quick I promise." Dani quickly jumped out of her car and dashed to the living room to find Nicki in the same position as she was before she left.

"Is everything alright Dani?" The dark brunette questioned.

"Yes, everything is fine…I just wanted to thank you for finally accepting LJ. It means the world to me. I also wanted to tell you the big news that I'm going to tell him tonight. I'm pregnant." Dani smiled and sat down beside her sister.

"That is great Dani…" She looked down at her hands and smiled.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I just worry about you…you're only 19 and still in college. Have you thought about what you're going to do? How are you going to pay for a child Dani? LJ doesn't work, you're in college and I can barely pay the bills as it is? I don't mean to sound like a bitch…I'm just looking out for my little sister that's all."

"I know you are, you wouldn't be Nicole if you didn't…"

"I know…"

----------------------------- Chicago Apartment Complex Room 16 ----------- (10:25 p.m.) –

Michael looked around his old empty apartment and sat down in his tan recliner. The meeting with Sara previously that day left him with thoughts, dreams, and ambitions of what things might have been. He laid his head against his chair and closed his eyes. Visions of Sara entered his mind as did the moments with Nicki.

-------------------------- Nicole's Apartment -------------------------- (10:28 p.m.) --------------

"I miss him…" Nicki began to cry as the thoughts of Michael entered her mind so fast she couldn't control the tears running down her tired face.

--------------------------- Michael's Chicago Apartment ------------------- (10:30 p.m.) -------

He climbed into his freshly made bed just the way he had left it before Fox River. Rolling down the covers he re-covered himself up in the blankets and shut his eyes. His body quivered as the thought of Nicki entered his busy mind. Between his arms and legs shaking his body was practically in constant motion despite him being tired beyond all ends.

"_Please call me Nicki…and I'm laughing because you're a complete stranger and you're helping me in the middle of Food Town…" Nicki smiled and watched Michael's smile become brighter and brighter by the moment. _

"_I'm Michael by the way…" He lifted the green beans from her damaged foot and admired the swelling and bruising arising from her foot. "Do you need me to take you to the hospital for this?"_

Michael began to toss and turn as random moments of Nicki appeared faster than a speeding car. He opened his eyes, looked around for a moment and returned to his dramatic flashbacks.

"_Thanks Michael…" Nicki looked up at the blue eyed man and noticed there was a button missing from his white shirt. She poked her finger inside the missing button hole and smiled. "I do believe I owe you a shirt Michael…"_

"_Michael Scofield…And you are…?" He propped a pillow behind Nicki's head and pulled a blanket from the edge of the couch over her almost shivering body. A small pillow elevated her injured leg perfectly. _

"_Burlow…Nicole Burlow but everyone calls me Nicki." She looked at Michael then toward a young woman just entering the house. _

"Damn it!" He yelled out as he body began flipping from his back to stomach quicker. His legs continued to move around as did his hands.

"_Why should you have to be sorry for something you have no control over?" Rolling her eyes she gently placed her unfinished sandwich into her bag and looked over toward Michael. _

"…_Because he obviously hurt you and nobody deserves to go through such a hurt that even the people around you suffer. I can tell you were hurt undoubtedly by this Mason character but I can only tell you that all guys are jerks…you just have to figure out which ones are worth your time…" Scofield took another sip from his drink and smiled. "And a guys role is to find that woman who lights up your face in sweats and no make-up…"_

"_I hope you find her…" _

"_I hope so too…" The tattooed man smiled and opened the door for the young woman. _

"I've already found her!" Michael screamed still keeping his eyes sealed shut.

"_Don't make any promises that you don't intend on keeping Michael. Mason did that to me and I can't and won't let my heart get caught up in all those lies. Now if you will excuse me I have to be at work in ten minutes or George will fire me…" Nicki grabbed her keys from inside her dark coat pocket and sighed. _

_Realizing that he exposed a sensitive subject, Michael grabbed her arm and pulled her in toward his cold exposed chest. He looked deep into her eyes and ran a single finger along her lips so that she was much more tranquil. "I'm sorry Nicki…"_

"_Why do you have to be so great and lead me to believe that all men aren't assholes?" A gentle tear came streaming down the young woman's face as she placed the side of her face against his chest and felt Michael's hands wrap around her shivering body. _

"_I think your problem is that you're stressed and you have nobody to be there for you Nicole. You just need to take it day by day instead of getting yourself caught up in everything all at once…" Scofield ran his boney fingers along her silky hair until he reached the edge of her neck and smiled. _

"I keep my promises…I promise Nicki!" He screamed out finally sitting up from the bed and looking around the room panting at the exact same time.

------------------------ Nicole's Apartment --------------------- (10:41 p.m.) ---------------------

"Please be okay Michael…please be okay…" Nicki opened her eyes from her horizontal position on the couch and looked around the room. Thoughts of Michael constantly filled the room until she heard her cell phone ring profusely.

"Hello?" Nicki answered in a sleepy voice.

"Nicki? It's Michael. I know it is late but I've been thinking about you and I can't get you out of my head baby. I have something I have to tell you…" Michael paused a gulped. "Sara was a woman I loved when I was in prison. One night we were in the storage closet and things progressed. I met with her today to get my release papers finalized and she told me I have a daughter…"

"Wow, Michael…that's…that's pretty damn serious…" She paused a moment and took a sip of her drink from the coffee table. "How old is she?"

"Her name is Jenny and she is five. I know that this is hard to take…and this is the last thing you need but I care about you and thought you should know. I'll be on the next flight out tomorrow back to you…I promise. I just wanted to meet my daughter before I leave…I just wanted you to know that." Scofield paused for a moment to take a breath as he heard constant silence from the other end of the line.

"I appreciate you being honest…with me…Michael. I'm happy for you…I want you to meet your daughter. That will be great." Nicki smiled and listened to Scofield shuffling on the other end of the phone. "What are you doing?" She giggled.

"Nothing…" Michael continued to dance in front of his mirror as if he were in a rock show staring himself. "I'm just thankful for you Nicki…that's all. Well, I have to get some sleep tonight if I'm going to see Jenny tomorrow…and make it home in time for our two month anniversary tomorrow tonight…"

"I don't know how you remember all this Mr. Scofield…"

"Ms. Burlow…I wouldn't miss it for the world…"

"It's Nicki…"

"It's Michael…"

----------------------------------------- End of Chapter -----------------------------------------------

A/N: Wow, this chapter was a little longer than expected. The drama is certainly stirring up amongst the characters. What will happen next? Stay tune for chapter 10.


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: Well, I again, own nothing to do with prison break as if that is a real shocker. I do however own Nicole Burlow and Danielle Evans.

A/N: Well, the intensity is building up! Will the news of Nicki's baby affect Michael and hers relationship or will it give them the strength to move on? Will the baby be Michael's or could it be the now deceased Mason's? Will Dani have the strength to tell LJ about his new bundle of joy or will she find weakness in the matter? What is ahead for the foursome? Please read Chapter ten to find out!

**Next Day… (Nicki and Michael's two month anniversary)**

------------------------- Michael's Chicago Apartment ------------------- (9:01 a.m.) -----------

Michael glanced around his apartment aimlessly looking down at his watch while he paced amongst the kitchen awaiting the arrival of his daughter. Although he already met the young girl there was still many questions that needed answered and things that needed to be said. He looked down at his watch once more and sighed. Suddenly a knock at the door caught the tattooed man's attention as he briskly walked to the front door and slightly cracked it. He noticed Sara with a young child by her side that had a small bag in her hand full of toys.

"Michael?" Sara questioned as she noticed the front door cracked just so she could see Michael's questionable facial expression. She smiled, opened the door a bit and entered into the apartment with her daughter following shortly behind her.

"Sara?" Michael said staring at the little girl as if she was a centerpiece in an art museum that was located in the middle of his very own living room. He noticed the bold red color of her hair and smiled. "Jenny, how are you doing?"

"Sara, I don't know this man…no…you are the man from the bus stat-" The young girl paused as she thought back to the day she met the strange tattooed man. She looked up and down Michael's arms as she began to remember the distinct tattoos.

"…Station you mean…" Scofield smiled toward his own daughter and admired her cuteness. The young girl reminded him so much of himself when he was a child, always wanting to impress older adults with a bigger vocabulary.

"Aunt Sara, am I going to stay here with Mr. Scofield?" Jenny asked innocently looking up at Sara with beaming eyes of a higher intensity than before.

"Honey, this is your daddy…Michael…and yes, you will be staying with him for just a short while but remember that I'm just a phone call away if you need me." Sara looked down at her very daughter and smiled at the innocence in Jenny's face. "Michael, thank you…"

"Wait…" Michael grabbed Sara's arm and pulled her back away from the door gently. He looked deep into her eyes and cracked a gorgeous smile. "This isn't the last time I will see my daughter…I promise you that…"

"Michael, do us all a favor and don't make promises that you cannot keep. The last thing I need is to get Jenny's hopes up and mine for that matter. In case you have forgotten I care about you and I just don't want to see you get hurt. I'll be back to pick up Jenny at noon. By that time Todd and I should be home from our movie and able to drop his son and daughter off with their mother." The dark brunette looked down at Michael's locked hand over her arm and sighed. "I'm really sorry things didn't work out with us and I hope that everything will turn out for the better."

"I know." With that Michael opened the front door for Sara, watched her leave and turned back to face his daughter holding her toy bag with both arms in front of her body. "What would you like to do Jenny?"

"Are you my new daddy?" The red head questioned looking once again innocently as possible into Michael's blue eyes. She slowly carried her bag over to the corner of the living room and plopped her body beside it Indian style.

"I guess you could say that…" Michael sat down directly in front of Jenny sitting accordingly to her and smiled brightly.

"If you are my daddy, then you know who my mommy is right?" The little girl grabbed out her usual Bug's Bunny coloring book and spread it out in front of her. She then reached in the same bag and took her box of crayons out.

"…Can I color with you?" The tattooed man asked quickly trying to change the subject. He knew that Jenny wanted to know everything as with any other five year old in America but wasn't quite sure how to explain the situation.

"Sure Mr. Scofield…" She handed her father a bright red crayon and pointed to a barn in which she wanted Michael to color. Grabbing a green crayon she noticed Scofield staring at her oddly. "Why are you staring at me funny?"

"Nothing, I just think it would be more suitable if you would call me your father, dad or even daddy would work little girl. I know I wasn't there for the beginning of your life but I promise to be there for the rest." He began shading in the barn with his red crayon Jenny had given him. The barn was directly behind bug's bunny and had grass surrounding the entire picture in which Jenny was intensely concentrating on at that moment.

"Why weren't you there?" Jenny questioned lifting her head and tilting it so that she now had a better view of the man in front of her.

"I made a lot of mistakes, plenty of wrong turns and regret a lot of what I've said but I'm here now and that is all that matters Jenny. Daddy is here and I promise to never leave you again…" Choked up, Michael finished coloring the now red barn and sat the crayon next to the yellow box.

…_I promise you Jenny…I won't make the same mistake as my father did and I'd be damned if I go back on my word little girl…I promise…_

"I'm hungry…" The little girl held her stomach and looked around the living room. "Mr. Scofield…I'm hungry now…"

"What would you like Jenny?" Michael looked up at Jenny and smiled. He stood up away from the floor and picked his daughter up in his arms. "How does blueberry pancakes sound?"

"I love blueberries. My auntie says that they are good for you…but Aunt Sara says they aren't…" Jenny latched her arms around Michael's neck and watched as he carried her into the kitchen and sat her down on the island of his massive kitchen.

"Your Aunt Sara is a very smart woman. How about some chocolate chip pancakes?" Scofield opened his cabinet to find a giant green bag of chocolate chips and sat them out beside Jenny on the island.

"Aunt Sara says there is nothing better to cure a heart than chocolate…" The innocent smile upon the little girl's face filled the room as if the sun was beaming directly into the vast kitchen. "She told me this big long story about some guy who broked her heart…Jackass…"

"Jenny! You shouldn't say that word. Auntie Sara shouldn't have said it either. I'm sure this man never meant to break her heart…"

"Well, boys are icky anyway…" Jenny smiled and watched her father pour in a bag of chocolate chips into a pancake mixture next to the stove.

"I would have to agree with you young lady…" He turned to face his daughter and smiled as he poured pancake batter into the frying pan in front of him.

----------------------------------- Nicole's Apartment ------------------------- (11:03 a.m.) ------

Nicole opened her eyes from her horizontal position on the couch and smiled. She had one arm resting behind her head and another to the side of her body. A small piece of paper was gently placed beside the couch on top of the coffee table. Intrigued as to what the piece of paper might be, she quickly sat her body upward and picked up the piece of paper. On the cover was a red printed on rose with a vivid pink heart beside it having her and Michael's name on the inside of it.

"_I know you don't believe in true love but I think I've found it. When I'm with you it is as if I'm with my best friend. You're someone I can relate to with all my heart. These past two months have been the best months of my life. You've taught the meaning of what it is like to care for someone like I care for you. I know I am in Chicago and perhaps I made a mistake by leaving but I just want you to know how important this trip was for me. I promise to be home tonight. I wouldn't miss our anniversary to save the world. See you tonight Ms. Burlow."_

Nearly in tears, the young woman placed the paper back upon the coffee table and looked deeply into the white wall in front of her. Her hands began to shake as the thought of Michael entered her mind. The idea of someone wanting to be with her again nearly scared her out of her skin. Although the man who caused her so much pain was gone she still couldn't let go of the fact she had been abused by a man in the past. She wanted more than anything to believe that she was safe in another man's arms but couldn't no matter what she tried. The young woman looked down at her feet and watched a tear fall down upon her foot.

The dark brunette sighed yet again and watched the clock on the wall move forward into time. Time was another thing that faced Nicki with great obstacles. The essence of time was Nicole's biggest enemy. The idea of having only so much time to live haunted her like a ghost. She placed her head upon her hands which were resting on her knees and watched the big hand of the clock slowly move around the clock.

"…Mr. Scofield…" She whispered silently to herself.

In a way she believed in love at first sight. If she hadn't, how could she have fallen for a man she had only been nearly dating for two months? The thought swam in her head as if there was a little Olympic swimmer swimming quickly inside her head only to become more confused. She rubbed her head and sighed. It didn't help that the first love she ever had died on her account. Nicki didn't believe in love after that, it was too risky for her own liking. The complexity of loving someone, another human being was too much to take in one lifetime. After Mason's heartbreak there was nothing more to say. The dark brunette gently lifted her head and rubbed her inviting blue eyes. She peaked down at the piece of paper and smiled with a tear in her eye.

"Are you kidding me? I think the Miami Dolphins could beat the Cleveland Browns any day Dani." LJ opened the front door for the lovely blonde to enter and noticed Nicki crying on the couch. "Are you alright?" He questioned holding the hand of his girlfriend ever so tightly.

"Yes, I'm fine. My ankle is a bit sore but I'll get over it. How are you two doing? Any new news?" Nicki began to stare into the eyes of her only sister and sighed at the sight of Dani shaking her head.

"LJ, why were staring at that woman's ass at the theater? She wasn't even that pretty…" Dani nudged LJ and shook her head in disgrace. "You even told me yourself that you prefer a blonde over a brunette anyday…"

LJ looked toward his girlfriend and coughed profusely. "There is a brunette right there with a bat in the closet…" He continued to cough until he felt Nicki's eyes burning him through his very own skin.

"I'm sitting right you know…and yes I still have my bat with your name on it…" Nicki turned her body toward her 'special' closet and sighed. "But I'll let it go this time buddy!" She drawled deeply.

"Your mom!" LJ blurted out in the middle of nowhere. He looked toward his girlfriend and watched her smile slowly fade.

Dani watched Nicki's eyes turn red and began to giggle without a word. "…I…I…" She continued to giggle and watch LJ's eyes pop out of his head as if a man running with a sword and coming straight at him.

"LJ, why do you have to be such an idiot? I mean come on…I can take the burns…that's funny but 'your mom'…nobody's mother is even in the room so I suggest when you 'burn' someone you make sure that person is in the room…dumb ass…" The dark brunette folded the piece of paper from Michael and placed it deep inside her pocket.

"Dude, why did the chicken cross the road?" LJ looked back and forth at the two women and smiled at their confused facial expression. "You can't tell me that you've never heard this joke dudes."

"No LJ, why don't you tell my sister and I how the stupid chicken crossed the freakin' road." Dani said sarcastically as she let go of his hand and sat beside her sister upon the couch.

"…To get to the other side?" Nicki questioned trying to humor the young man in front of her. Now that he was the father of her nephew or niece she decided to actually take him seriously.

"Damn, you guessed it right…how would you know? I bet you've never heard a joke in your life…being boring and all…" LJ said.

"Are ya kiddin' me? I'm from Smithville Texas home of the rednecks and I betcha your city ass that you ain't never been in a place in your rich uptight life to where you had to use the outhouse or been to an uncle's house that wrote m-a-l-e on the mail box…" Nicki sighed and looked over at Dani with laughter deep into her eyes.

"Dani, before I forget…I bought you something while I was at work a few days ago. It's not much but I think you will like it…" LJ grabbed his car keys from deep inside his jean pockets. "It's in the shag wagon…"

"First, I have something to tell you…follow me…" The young blonde grabbed LJ's hand and pulled him into the kitchen. She felt his warm hands walk their way up her side and finally cupping her face. "This is serious LJ…"

"I know…" LJ left a long trail of kisses down her neck until he reached her luscious pink glossed lips. He kissed her like no tomorrow and smiled at the innocence in her eyes afterward. "What was it that you wanted to tell me?" The young man backed Dani into a corner of the kitchen and moved his hands slowly down the side of her body.

"LJ, please stop, I have to…" Dani began to giggle as the lips of LJ tickled the side of her neck. She pulled away from the young man and smiled. "LJ this is serious…"

"I know…" He repeated continuing to kiss her neck moving on to the back of her right ear.

"LJ, come on…I'm pregnant!" She blurted out which brought great attention to LJ's face and eyes. Dani looked up with her eye lids slightly closed and smiled. "I found out a couple days ago…I haven't been to the doctor's office yet but I'm pretty sure of it…"

"Why couldn't you have told me sooner?" LJ let go of Danielle and placed both hands, palms flat upon the stove and began to stare toward his blonde girlfriend. "I'm dead…"

"No, I already told Nicole and she is fine with the situation. She told me that she would help us out with what she can but LJ, I don't think we can do this…" A tear entered Dani's eye as she looked at LJ in search of answers. "I can't do this alone." She whispered just under her breath.

"I don't know what to tell you Dani. You're going to have to figure this out. I can't handle all this pressure…" LJ grabbed the keys out of his pocket and looked at Dani with gentle eyes. "I have to go…" He turned to walk away from Dani and glanced back at her.

"LJ, don't do this to me…not now…I can't…" The young blonde begged dropping to her knees against the wall of the kitchen. Her eyes were filled with tears that nobody could compare to. "Don't to this to me…please…" She begged yet again.

"I'm sorry…" With that he turned back to face the front door and opened it. He noticed Nicki fast asleep on the couch and sighed a bit in relief. "I'm sorry…" He repeated.

----------------------- Michael's Chicago Apartment ----------------- (11:56 a.m.) -------------

"…And that is how I got in prison…" Michael finished moving his daughter from one knee to the other. He propped her back against his large right hand and smiled at the innocence of a five-year-old's smile.

"Thank you Mr. Scofield…" Jenny looked up at Michael with her glistening blue eyes and jumped off his lap. "I'm thirsty…" She said jumping up and down.

"What do you drink?" Scofield questioned unsure of what a child drinks. He knew exactly what he drank but was unsure exactly what a child would need and want. "I think I have some grape juice in the refrigerator when I was making…never mind…that isn't important. I'll go and get you some grape juice."

Michael walked into the kitchen and noticed the clock in which read noon by this time. He looked down at his watch to find the exact same time. The thought of Jenny leaving now was just unacceptable in his opinion. He knew exactly what it was like for a father to leave and only he could fix it for future generations. Lincoln had regretted the fact he wasn't around for LJ's childhood and he wasn't about to doom Jenny into that fate. He lifted the grape juice out of the refrigerator and smiled.

"Daddy, why are you crying?" Jenny pointed up to her father's face and smiled. "Don't cry daddy…please don't cry daddy…I love you…" She said with a sweet voice that nearly choked Michael on the inside.

"I'm not honey, daddy just got something in his eye little girl. Are you ready for your juice?" Scofield wiped his eyes with his sleeve and helped his daughter up into the bar stool of his kitchen. "Here you are…" He grabbed the small glass of juice and sat it in front of Jenny.

"When do I get to see you again?" Jenny wiped her grape juice mustache just above her lip and smiled.

"Soon…I promise…" He helped the little girl wipe the grape juice from above her lip and smiled. Michael looked down at his watch and sighed as he heard the doorbell of his apartment. "You just sit here and finish your juice while I get the door…"

"Wait daddy…" The little red head looked up at her father and smiled. "Thank you Mr. Scofield."

"You're welcome Ms. Folger…" He winked and walked on to the living room toward the front door.

Scofield opened the door to find Sara standing alone in the middle of his door way. He opened the door further allowing her inside and smiled. "You've raised a beautiful daughter Sara; we have a beautiful daughter…" Michael looked at Sara and grabbed her hand. "I never meant to hurt you the way I did and I apologize for everything just don't take my baby girl away from me…"

"Michael, you know things are more complicated than that. I can't just forgive you for what you've done and act like everything is okay. I just can't do that Michael and that is one thing you will just have to understand…" Sara looked around the apartment and found no sign of Jenny. "Where is Jen?"

"She is in the kitchen drinking grape juice. I told her she could finish her juice before she leaves." Scofield walked further into his apartment with Sara following closely behind.

"Aunt Sara, is it time to go already? Daddy was telling me about his story in jail and how the pink spotted elephants played with daddy in the courtyard. Did you go to jail to Aunt Sara?" Jenny rose up her glass indicating she was done with her grape juice was completely gone. She watched Michael reach for the empty glass and place it in the sink next to where Sara was leaning.

"Jenny, are you ready to go? Todd is waiting for us in the car." Sara grabbed the bag of toys from the corner of the room and looked over at Jenny. She walked toward the bar stool and scooped Jenny into her arms. "Michael, good luck on your flight back to Ohio."

"Wait Daddy, I thought you were staying in Chicago…daddy don't leave now…I promise I won't drink all your grape juice anymore." Jenny began to wiggle in the arms of Sara and held her hands out for Michael to grab.

"I'm sorry Jenny, not this time…" Scofield watched Sara carry Jenny into the living room and smiled. He waved goodbye to his only daughter and watched them walk down the hall until they were no longer visible.

…_I won't let this happen…_

------------------------- Nicole's Apartment ----------------------------- (8:03 p.m.) -------------

Nicki gently opened her eyes from a nap she had endeavored a couple hours before and smiled. She knew Michael was coming home at eight and the dark brunette didn't want to miss his arrival. Looking down at her watch she noticed it was three minutes after eight and sighed. On the coffee table she saw a folded paper crane and smiled. She picked up the crane and held it between her boney fingers.

"So, this is your idea of being her for our anniversary…if it was so important than why aren't you here with me?" Nicki questioned looking around the living room with no sign of Michael anywhere.

She closed her eyes and thought back to a time when Michael promised her something extraordinary that even she could barely believe.

"_That's ashamed that he still makes you work despite your obvious commitment into working for Food Town…" Scofield lifted Nicki's chin just so that he could watch a single steady tear roll down her face and land against his hand. He felt her right hand cover his on top and he smiled. "Someday everything will be set right Nicki…I promise…"_

"_Don't make any promises that you don't intend on keeping Michael. Mason did that to me and I can't and won't let my heart get caught up in all those lies. Now if you will excuse me I have to be at work in ten minutes or George will fire me…" Nicki grabbed her keys from inside her dark coat pocket and sighed. _

_Realizing that he exposed a sensitive subject, Michael grabbed her arm and pulled her in toward his cold exposed chest. He looked deep into her eyes and ran a single finger along her lips so that she was much more tranquil. "I'm sorry Nicki…"_

"_Why do you have to be so great and lead me to believe that all men aren't assholes?" A gentle tear came streaming down the young woman's face as she placed the side of her face against his chest and felt Michael's hands wrap around her shivering body. _

"_I think your problem is that you're stressed and you have nobody to be there for you Nicole. You just need to take it day by day instead of getting yourself caught up in everything all at once…" Scofield ran his boney fingers along her silky hair until he reached the edge of her neck and smiled. _

"I told you not to promise me things you don't intend on keeping!" Nicki yelled tearing the bird into pieces until she glanced into the doorway of the front door to find a tall structure hovering in the doorway. "Michael!" She yelled in high hopes it would be him.

"Nicki, its LJ. Have you seen Dani? I said some things earlier and I just have to talk to her now…please Nicki…" Soaked from the pouring rain he entered the living room and searched the room for Dani but found no trace of her. "What happened to her?"

"…She left…she left about four hours ago to Smithville…and said she wouldn't be back for a while…whatever you did son…you fucked up and you know it!" Nicki looked at LJ and sighed. "If you leave now you might make it before the night is up but I highly doubt it and you don't have the funds to go anyway…"

"That doesn't matter, I will find her if it is the last thing I ever intend on doing." Now determined he ran out of the apartment and into his station wagon.

-------------------------------------- Dayton Airport ------------------- (8:30 p.m.) ----------------

Michael leaned against the stall door of the bathroom with a dazed look across his face. He thought back to Nicki despite the fact he had images of Sara rolling through his mind at the exact same time. Scofield punched the side of the stall creating a stir in the men's room and groaned. The stress created anger deep inside the tattooed man, such anger that even the strongest man couldn't hold on to for too long. He felt his cell phone vibrate deep inside his pocket and answered it.

"Hello?" Michael answered examining his hand from just a moment ago. The knuckles of his right hand were partially bleeding which didn't compare to the blood left on the side of the stall.

"Michael." A female voice said.

"I'm sorry this isn't the best time to talk. I'll call you back…" Scofield began to intently listen to the other end of the phone until he heard a click. He threw his phone back into his pocket and punched the side of the stall once more.

"Are you okay in there buddy?" A man questioned from outside the stall. He stared at the door and sighed. "Don't' take this personally, but I think you have some anger issues that need to be cleared up immediately dude."

"You don't know what the hell you're talking about…" Michael yelled feeling the vibrating phone against his leg. He grabbed the phone from his pocket and saw Nicki's name flashing upon the front screen.

"I told you this is a bad time Nicki…" Scofield said into the phone watching a drop of blood run down the stall.

"It's our anniversary; you know that thing that you celebrate with your significant other. You promised me that you would be here and you said that a true man never backs down on a promise…" Nicki looked in the doorway of her apartment and felt the redness of her cheeks.

"Something has come up and I won't be back for another week…" He admitted.

"What do you mean that something has come up Michael? I should have known. I told myself not to fall for another man because my heart gets broken every single time but you just had to see if I was lying. Thanks a lot Michael…"

"It's not like that. I just don't want my daughter to end up without her father like me. My father left my brother and I when I was born and my mother died shortly after. You have no clue what that is like so before you go and open your trap I suggest you realize what you're talking about before forming a sentence…"

"I can't believe you would say something like that Michael…" In tears Nicki dropped down to her knees with her cell phone in one hand.

"Baby, you know I would never hurt you but this is one thing I have to do for myself. I promise you that I'll be back. I'll never leave you. So let me worry about Chicago and you have a vacation okay. Ms. Burlow…you mean the world to me." Softening up, Michael smiled and chuckled.

"It's Nicki, Mr. Scofield…"

"It's Michael…"

"I know…"

"Me too…"

"I'll see you soon…I promise…I'll be home tomorrow…"

"What about your daughter?"

"You just let me worry about the trouble in Chicago. All I want for you to do is wait for me and I promise to make everything up to you…I promise…" Scofield hung up the phone and placed it deep inside his pocket.

He looked around his stall and felt another incoming phone call. "What the hell is up with this?" Michael opened his cell phone and answered it. "Hello?"

"Michael, its Sara. I can't talk long…Todd went to take the kids around the block and should be back soon but I just wanted to thank you for everything today. I'm sorry I ever doubted you with Jenny…you make a great father…"

"…I would have made a better husband…" He said softly.

"I have a fiancé and you have a girlfriend. If you intend on hitting on me anymore I will take all privileges away with your daughter. I don't need you anymore Michael, I don't want you and Todd needs me."

"I respect your decision Sara. I just don't want to screw up Jenny's childhood. That is the last thing I want to do. Plus I envision Nicki in my future and that is all that matters…" Michael sighed. "I'm leaving for Tipp tomorrow early morning so tell Jenny I say hello."

"When are you going to see her again?" Sara questioned anxiously.

"I'm not sure but it will be soon Sara."

"Do you love Nicki the way you loved me Michael?"

"No, because with Nicki I don't have to concentrate on thinking about the love I have for her. I just know and that is what I was looking for…"

"Right, it's not my place anyway. Bye." She hung up the phone and smiled.

Michael turned around in this stall and opened the door to find a mass of men watching his ever move. He sighed and walked out of the bathroom without another word. Scofield now had his mind made up on what he wanted…but there was still a choice he had to make. Michael looked around the airport and knew he had to now choose between the one thing he wanted most...and the greatest thing he's ever found.

-------------------------------- End of Chapter --------------------------------------------------------

A/N: Well, so the chapter end but the adventure is just beginning. Please stay tune and read chapter eleven to find out where fate brings the foursome. In case you didn't catch it, the last line of the chapter above is the summary of my book which is very important for upcoming chapters. I would also appreciate some reviews on what people are thinking! Am I taking the book to slow? Fast? Is it good? Or do I need to improve in a certain area? I would really appreciate some reviews but I'm not an author who threatens to stop writing over some reviews either. So all in all I hope you enjoyed chapter 10 and 11 should be posted within the next week depending on how the real world goes. I bid you adieu! REVIEW!!!!! REVIEW!!! REVIEW!!!!! PLEASE????


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with Prison Break or any of its contents. I do however own Danielle Evans and Nicole Burlow. I would really like to own Michael but what girl doesn't???

A/N: Alright, you've waited long enough. Here is chapter 11! Who will Michael choose to be with? Does Nicki get over the fact Michael was abrupt with her? Whose baby is Nicki carrying? Will LJ go after the love of his life or get caught up in something else? Where does chapter 11 take the four characters? It looks as if you're going to have to read to find out!! I would like to thank my co-author and the support I have received from everyone. I really do appreciate it highly and hope that you continue to follow this book. THANK YOU! Okay, enough rambling, on with the chapter!

**Later that Evening…**

------------------------------ Dayton Airport ---------------------------- (8:42 p.m.) ---------------

…_What have I done? I just lied to Nicki and Sara within ten minutes. God damn it…sometimes I wish I was back in jail. At least I didn't have to worry about women. They are so difficult…_

Michael cupped his hands underneath the running water of the men's room and splashed the gathered water in his face. He looked up into the mirror only to find a liar, wet and full of lies. Most of the men from the big confrontation had left by this time but he still noticed a few men lurking around the bathroom awaiting his next move. The water on his face soon began to run down his neck and onto his shirt which was already soaked due to the immediate pour of sweat.

"There is nothing to see here…" Scofield watched the men from in the mirror slowly mosey out of the bathroom as he rubbed his face with water once more.

Michael shuffled his large hands against the outside of his pockets to dry his hands off quickly and efficiently. He looked up toward the mirror in front of him only to see the image of a lying man, one in which he felt was impossible to face. On one hand he had a woman who he has loved and cherished for nearly five years. On the other hand he had a woman who just happened to be the best thing that happened to him. Looking down at his bare palms only reminded him there was no turning back, what he had done could never change or be set right but he knew deep in his heart he had to try.

------------------- LJ (in his car on Nicole's apartment driveway) ----------- (8:53 p.m.) -----

LJ continued to lean his head forward against the steering wheel in great disappoint as to what he had done earlier that day. Things were so easy when it came to Dani and this thing called a 'relationship', little did he know things got more complicated than that. A tiny crystal tear came streaming down the young man's face as he began to think back to the conversation between he and Danielle prior that day. The radio was currently playing in the back round which only brought more pain to the twenty-one year old.

(Late Disclaimer: I do not own the song 'I can love you like that' by John Michael Montgomery. Sorry, I wanted the song to be more of a surprise…SURPRISE! Also, the underlined italics are lyrics to the song…the regular words in italics are usual flashbacks…)

_They read you Cinderella  
You hoped it would come true  
That one day your prince charming  
Would come rescue you  
You like romantic movies  
You never will forget  
The way you felt when Romeo kissed Juliet  
All this time that you've been waiting  
You don't have to wait no more_

The young man lifted his head briefly from the steering wheel and watched the rain come pouring down on the hood of his beloved station wagon. He slammed his head against the steering wheel once more as the song continued.

_I can love you like that  
I would make you my world  
Move heaven and earth if you were my girl  
I will give you my heart  
Be all that you need  
Show you you're everything that's precious to me  
If you give me a chance  
I can love you like that_

Just as the chorus was near its end, LJ slammed his head against the steering wheel yet again which created a small puddle of blood on his brown wheel. He looked down at the blood then back toward his radio. Shutting his eyes, the constant images of Dani smiling ran through his mind vividly.

"_LJ, do you think you can get me out the rum Nicki keeps in the cabinet above the stove?" The young blonde pointed to the wooden cabinet doors just above the stove and smiled as she watched LJ pull down two rather large bottles of rum for the party tonight. _

"_Is that all you need from the cabinet?" LJ fell silent as he awaited the answer from Dani. "You know I love you baby but come on…you know I don't like heights…"_

"_That is all I need for now…so you can get down from there my little baby boy…" She smiled and began pouring a container of egg nog into a large punch bowl just beside the stove. _

"_I'm not a baby, or at least that's not what your mom said last night! Burn!" LJ hopped down from the dining room chair and paraded around the kitchen as if he just won the lottery. He picked up Dani from against the cabinet and hauled her over his shoulder as he brought her in the living room. _

_I never make a promise I don't intend to keep  
So when I say forever, forever's what I mean  
I'm no Casanova but I swear this much is true  
Ill be holdin nothin back when it comes to you  
You dream of love that's everlasting  
Well baby open up your eyes_

LJ's stomach began to churn as the thoughts entered and escaped his mind rapidly. He noticed the car keys in the ignition of his beloved car and smirked with tiny tears in his majestic brown eyes.

_I can love you like that  
I would make you my world  
Move heaven and earth if you were my girl  
I will give you my heart  
Be all that you need  
Show you you're everything that's precious to me  
If you give me a chance  
I can love you like that_

"I love you Dani. I have always loved you ever since I saw your beautiful face. I gave you my heart! All I need is a chance…" LJ put his car in reverse out of Nicole's drive way and headed toward the only destination he had; the airport.

_You want tenderness-I got tenderness  
and I see through to the heart of you  
if you want a man who understands  
you don't have to look very far_

"I promise you Dani, I'm not leaving!" The young man yelled as he sat at a traffic light at the end of the road. The rain made it hard for LJ to see but this wasn't stopping him from reaching the one he wanted the most. Rain or shine he was going to find his girl and nothing would get in the way of that…nothing.

_I can love you  
I can  
I can love you like that  
I would make you my world  
Move heaven and earth if you were my girl  
I will give you my heart  
Be all that you need  
Show you you're everything that's precious to me  
I can love you like that  
I would make you my world  
Move heaven and earth if you were my girl  
I will give you my heart  
Be all that you need  
Show you you're everything that's precious to me  
I can love you like that  
I would make you my world  
Move heaven and earth if you were my girl_

---------------------------------- Dayton Airport ------------------------ (9:21 p.m.) ---------------

LJ quickly put his car into park and dashed out of his station wagon as if he were being chased by an armed police man. He crossed the busy intersection of multiple cars and the crowds of people only to become confused and lost at the very same time. There was absolutely no sign of Dani which was his priority at this moment in time. Through the giant glass doors of the airport he could see a flight listing schedule board hanging high with huge masses of people checking their flights and yelling to one another. The young man quickly read through the flights until he came upon the one that flew into Dallas which was near Smithville. The departure time was at nine this evening. He then realized that he had no shot in finding her.

He turned away from the red lettered board and began to walk away slowly until he noticed a crying woman on a bench next to the entrance restrooms. She had her legs bent into her stomach as her head rested gently on top of her knees with her gorgeous blonde hair covering her face. By the look on his face you could tell that LJ struck gold, it was her…the woman who knew was the one for him. The one whom which he wanted to spend every minute of ever day with was right there in his grasp. Swiftly, he walked over toward the bench and sat down on the side opposite of her. He smiled and removed the hair from her eyes revealing her captivating brown eyes.

"…I'm sorry…" LJ whispered as they made eye contact despite the constant flow of tears coming from the young woman. He partially smiled and wiped the tears onto the sleeve of his shirt. "I really am…"

"I know you are…" Dani propped her head upon her folded arms that were still held up by her knees and smiled as she wiped the access mascara from under her eyes. "I guess I should have worn water-proof. Who knew I could cry so hard that my mascara wasn't heart break resistant?"

"Dani, on the way here I called my boss over at the club and he said I could work another extra day on Tuesday. I will do anything I have to do baby. I promise to take care of you and our new baby. I will make ends meet, that isn't just an idea it is a promise. Everything will be okay…I'll take care of it all." He said slightly out of character. It wasn't quite normal for him to feel such a love from another human being to where he said a deep thought such as that.

Smiling Danielle lifted her arms away from her knees and placed her legs firmly planted on the ground. She felt LJ move in closer and wrap his arms around her neck ever so tightly, just the way she liked it. He pulled her side in closer to his chest, allowing her to peacefully rest her head upon his chest and smiled. The couple sat there for a countless number of minutes without a word spoken. The situation wasn't awkward necessarily but neither one of them wanted to ruin the moment.

"What do we do now?" Finally breaking the moment, LJ looked down at his girlfriend and watched a smile appear across her face. He knew that she was content and that was the only thing he was worried about.

"I don't really know LJ. You seem to be the one with the mastermind plan so why don't you tell me and your baby?" Dani looked down at her covered stomach and took LJ's hand. She slowly placed it against her stomach and watched the reaction of the young man's face.

"Do you think I'm going to make a good father?" The young man intertwined his fingers upon her stomach and rested his head just on top of her shoulder.

"You're going to make a great father…" She leaned her own head against his and began to stare into the open crowd of the airport.

"You'll be an even better mother…" He began rubbing Dani's stomach with both of their hands still interlocked.

"I hope so; it should have been the other way around. Nicki would definitely make a better mother. She has that thing most call a 'motherly instinct'…me….not so much…I can't even cook oatmeal." Dani giggled faintly and felt the effects of her giggling just underneath her hands.

"I don't even want to talk about that…" LJ sighed and looked down at their hands. "I can't believe I would even jeopardize not being with you…I'm…"

"Your one of the best men I've ever met…" She finished.

"I hope you're right because if I'm not…well…let's just say Nicki would kick my ass to China…the moon…or even to another universe. Does she know about the baby yet?" He sighed once more and looked down at his shoes. "Let me rephrase that, do I know my death date yet after she kills me with the ever popular bat?"

"I told her last night. She actually took it quite well…wait…didn't I tell you this earlier today?" Dani smiled and watched her boyfriend scratch his head as he always did when he was stumped. "I'm pretty sure I did baby."

"Well in that case, I guess I will live after all…" He replied jumping up and down on the inside. A giant weight fell off his shoulders as he heard Dani utter those beautiful words.

"Yes, you will live…with me…and your baby…somewhere in Hawaii on the hot beach sands…or even in Japan. When I was younger I wanted to be a teacher in Japan. I guess I'm far from my dream seeing that I'm in the Dayton Airport…" She said admiring the walls of the airport.

"Why give up on your dreams now?" LJ questioned.

"I don't know…" She moaned a moment and sighed. "What are your dreams Mr. Burrows?"

"When I was little I wanted to be an astronaut…but I'm not. I'm a DJ so I guess we both didn't find what we were looking for years ago. But I can say that I found true love and that was another one of my goals…" He kissed Dani and smiled brightly. "What do you say we go and get something to eat?"

"That sounds great LJ." Dani reached her arms out for LJ to assist her in getting up. LJ was so strong in fact there was a bounce in her landing to her very feet. She smiled and grabbed his hand as they began walking out of the airport.

"Where were you headed to anyway?" The young man questioned opening the glass doors for his only girlfriend. Out of no where he saw what looked to be Michael and stopped dead in his steps. "Is that Uncle Michael?" He pointed to a man standing against the wall of the airport in a hoodie.

"Yes, that is him. I can see the tattoos where his sleeves are too short. What is he doing here? I thought he was supposed to be in Chicago for another week?"

"…So did I…" LJ sighed and began walking toward his uncle.

--------------------------- Michael's Apartment ------------------------------ (10:23) -------------

…_I wonder when the last time he cleaned these sheets…?_

Nicole looked skeptically at the dark blue sheets of Michael's king size bed and twitched her nose. The sheets were without a doubt dirty but only time would be able to tell just how dirty they were. She began to strip the bed of its sheets and placed them inside a laundry basket beside the dresser. Nicki began her journey to the laundry room to take care of the sheets when she heard the phone ring.

…_I guess I should get that…_

She sat the laundry basket carefully on top of the dryer and grabbed the cordless phone just beside the kitchen. "Hello?" Nicki answered in anticipation as to who it might be.

"Hi, is Michael there?" A female voice questioned from the other end of the phone.

"No, he is in Chicago. Can I help you?" Nicole raised a single eyebrow and continued to listen to the other end of the phone.

"Oh, Could you do me a favor and tell him Sara called…" Sara looked around her apartment and sighed. "It is really important."

"Who are you anyway?" The dark brunette drawled becoming sterner in her voice and possibly more problematic.

"I'm just a friend of his from Chicago…" The brunette smiled.

"Really? Well, I'm afraid I can't deliver that message of yours seeing that I'm his current girlfriend and all Sara. I know all about your games and I suggest you quit while you're ahead. I don't think you want to mess with a Texan…"

"What are you talking about? I'm a friend of Michael's, not a girlfriend; I have a fiancé for your information…" Sara hung up the phone and threw it across her own living room of the apartment.

Nicki pressed the 'talk' button on the phone and threw it down on the counter creating a rather loud echo through the tiny apartment. Her arms grew tense as did the rest of her body at that moment in time. She wasn't exactly sure who Sara was but knew she was bad news and this was one thing the Texan wasn't having. The dark brunette turned on the stereo beside the microwave and firmly planted her palms against the counter.

------------------------------ Just outside the Dayton Airport ----------------- (10:42 p.m.) -----

"…I was in Chicago but I flew back as promised…" Michael protested looking deep into the eyes of his nephew with great intensity. He glanced over at Dani and saw the innocence in her face.

"The last flight here from Chicago was about two hours ago. I checked when I was debating on whether to buy a ticket to Smithville or not. What were you doing for two hours?" Dani looked at Michael from the side of LJ and smiled. "I'm not trying to interrogate you; I just want to fill in the missing blanks."

"Did you get in a fight?" LJ lifted Michael's right hand to find the exposed bleeding of his uncle's knuckles. (That is fun to say, you should seriously say that aloud!!)

"No, I slammed my hand against the island of my apartment back in Chicago when I was…cleaning the kitchen…" The tattooed man added covering his wounds with his hoodie as he liked to do. "As for the reason I didn't go home right away, I wanted to surprise her tonight for our anniversary. So if you don't mind, I must be getting back to my girlfriend."

"Wait, do you want a ride?" LJ questioned shaking the keys in front of Michael's face and smiling.

"I refuse to ride in the loser cruzer dude…" Scofield watched Dani smile and let of a feint giggle at his response. "But if you insist…" He zipped up his hoodie to the very top and followed Dani and LJ deep into the vast parking lot.

"It's the shag wagon you guys!" LJ yelled only to grab the attention to people getting into their cars in the airport parking lot. He sighed and friendly waved at the people who were looking at him strangely.

"LJ, just get over it dude. It will now and forever be the loser cruzer so quit trying to change it nephew. I'm sure your father would agree with me on that matter, after all, we are brothers…" Scofield hopped into the backseat of the old station wagon and watched Dani and LJ position themselves in the two front seats.

--------------------- LJ, Michael, Dani arriving at the Apartments ------ (11:39 p.m.) ---------

Dani opened the side door of the station wagon and noticed Nicki sitting on the drive way with her head planted against her rose up knees. She skeptically looked in Michael's window of the car and shook her head. LJ grabbed Dani's hand and led her inside Michael's apartment without noticing the woman at the end of the drive way. Michael glanced to see Nicki and placed his hands deeply into his jean pockets. He began to walk toward the drive way and planted himself directly in front of her.

"…Sara called…" Nicki rose up and wiped the crystal tears gathering on her cheeks. She rested her chin on top of her folded arms and smiled.

"…Yeah…I've been meaning to tell you about that. Sara was my…" He sighed and watched Nicole's eyes roll and look away from him.

"I already know about Sara Michael so don't you for one minute think I'm some dumb ass who doesn't know about the world around her. I know all about your history so let's get real Michael. You have to choose, it is either me or her…you can't have both this time." She said moving her eyes back into contact with his.

"Do you remember what today is? Today is our anniversary and I intend on celebrating that event with or without you…" Scofield smiled and looked down at the ground. "So why don't we go inside before you freeze to death…" He added noticing the shivering of the young woman's hands.

"I'm not cold…" Nicki bundled her jacket and smiled. "Okay, maybe a little but I'm not leaving this spot until you tell me why you lied to me about another week in Chicago…"

"I originally went there to get some papers cleared up about releasing me from Fox River. When I entered the office I didn't realize that Sara was the one I needed the signature from. On her desk I noticed a picture of her daughter and commented on her beautiful red hair. Then she told me that the little girl in the picture was my daughter whom which I had no idea about…" Michael looked down at his feet then back at the dark brunette's shivering hands. He grabbed them both and sandwiched them in between his own. "I never meant to lie to you…"

"I know you didn't Mr. Scofield…" She smiled and awaited his usual answer.

"It's Michael Ms. Burlow…" He noticed her bright smile and couldn't help but to kiss her gently on the lips.

"It's Nicki…" The dark brunette kissed him again and watched the snowflakes fall against the drive way. "Perhaps you were right when you said it was a bit too cold out here…"

Without a word spoken, Michael hoisted the young woman into the air and carried her off to his apartment. He opened the door without dropping the young woman and threw her on the couch. Nicki quickly began to take off her jacket as Michael kissed down her neck and eventually helped her with the jacket. He looked deep into her now blue eyes and smiled. Sweat soon filled the forehead of Michael as he began taking off his own jacket and threw it across the living room until it landed on top of the lamp in the corner of the room.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Michael questioned still kissing her neck in between words. He lifted her sweater away from her body and admired her sparkly white spaghetti strap tank top.

"Yeah…" Nicki answered pulling Michael's shirt over his head to expose his tattooed torso. She ran her fingers up and down his stomach until finally stopping at the brim of his jeans.

Scofield felt her hands reach the bottom of his stomach and smiled as he slid a single strap of her tank top down away from her shoulder, leaving a small trail of kisses along the way. Nicki lifted up her head and removed the pillow from behind it throwing it half way across the room. She scooted up onto the arm of the couch as Michael followed closely. The warm heat between their bodies soon filled the air which made it harder for them to breath. The dark brunette un-buttoned the jeans around the tattooed man and smiled as she ran her fingers up his torso once more feeling every muscle in his body.

"Excuse me; there are young children present…" LJ blurted out ruining the moment for the couple. He chuckled as he watched the two older adults scramble off of the couch and to opposite sides of the room. "Whoa, I was just coming to get some cool whip…we're adults here…continue…as soon as I leave of course…"

"What do you need cool whip for in the…" Scofield paused and took a quick mental thought then smiled. "Never mind, do we even have cool whip?"

"Yeah, I stopped by Food Town yesterday and got some…along with some cookie dough and other things…" Another small chuckle escaped the young man as he watched the look on Nicki's face change.

"Men and cool whip…what is so exiting about cool whip during that 'moment'?" Nicki turned to face the both men as she watched them both shrug their shoulders. "You know what, never mind…I probably don't want to know anyway…"

"Yeah, you probably don't…" Michael pointed out fastening the button of his jeans.

"Anyway, don't let me disturb. I have business to take care of myself. So if you will excuse me…" LJ grabbed the cool whip from the refrigerator and dashed off into his bedroom.

"God only knows what that guy will do with a tub of cool whip and my sister…eww…that is my sister…" Nicki scrunched her face in disgust of the thoughts running through her head.

"Damn it, I guess you're not in the mood anymore…?" Scofield questioned watching Nicki slide her jacket back over her body.

"No, the thought of what he would do with my innocent sister is just…ehh…let's go to bed…together…on our anniversary…" She seductively motioned for Michael to follow her and smiled slyly.

"I'll be there in a minute…" Scofield blew a kiss toward his girlfriend and smiled. "I just wanted to check the score on the game tonight…"

"Alright but don't be late…I still haven't given you my gift yet…" She said slowly moseying her way down the hall way.

"I won't…" He smiled looking blankly at the dark television screen.

Scofield grabbed the remote and flicked on the TV and sighed. He looked at the score of the game and shook his head in disgrace of his favorite team losing. "I don't know why I even care…?" He swiftly walked back into his now shared bedroom and looked at Nicki lying on top of his clean bed with a cute pink lingerie set around her body. "Dear god I hope this is for me…"

"Mr. Scofield, I believe you have an important engagement with a Texan Vixen this morning…" She smiled and watched him jump into bed directly beside her. Nicki felt Michael hover over her body and giggled seductively.

"As to what pleasure do I have in scoring a meeting with the most beautiful Texan in the United States…?" Scofield kissed her neck as he did so and ran his finger along the sides of her hair.

"You've been a very good boy…"

"Before we 'celebrate' there is something I want to ask you?" He gulped and looked down into her continuously shining blue eyes. "What would you say if I asked you to move to Chicago with me?"

Nicki looked blankly into the eyes of the tattooed man. There were no words coming out, no emotion, not even a single gesture to that particular question. She knew how bad she wanted to be with this man but was it worth sacrificing what she had found?

"You don't have to decide now but I would like you to consider it at the very least…" He noticed the look on Nicki's face and shook his head. "I promise to take care of you in Chicago. I'll be able to get my job back and you won't even have to work for George anymore…"

"I know, we'll talk about this later. Right now I want to finish what I started…" She shook her head and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck and smiled. "Alright cowboy, let's just see if a city boy and keep up with a southern woman!"

------------------------- End of Chapter ---------------------------------------------------------------

A/N: Well, what do you think she will say? Will she sacrifice everything she has built up in Tipp City to move somewhere with a man she barely knows? When will Nicki finally break down and tell Michael about her pregnancy? Who is the father of the baby? (I know this has been a major cliff hanger will be answered next chapter! DON'T KILL ME!!!) How will Michael react to him becoming a great uncle? Chapter twelve should be a very good one. My co-author and I were talking and we discussed everything about the next two to three chapters and it is pretty good. Well, please leave reviews and what not!! Thanks for the support.

**Oh yeah, I want to give a shout out to my two best friends (you know who you are)…I miss you guys like crazy!!**


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with Prison Break or any of its contents. I do however own Nicki Burlow and Dani Evans but the rest of the characters I have no ownership to. I would like to own Michael Scofield but I guess that isn't realistic!

A/N: Okay, I'm happy to report chapter 12 is up! Yay! What will happen with the idea of moving to Chicago? Will Nicki give up everything in Tipp for a chance with Michael in Chicago? Who is the father of Nicki's baby? Will it be Michael's or is there a possibility of it being the now deceased Mason's? How will Michael react to both pregnancies? Stay tune to this chapter for answers!

**Two weeks, three days later…**

-------------------------------------- Waffle House --------------------- (7:01 a.m.) ----------------

"…I miss that…" LJ added stabbing his pancake nearly to death as he noticed Michael staring out the window beside him. He wiped the syrup from the side of his lip and smiled. "He was a good man."

"…I know…" Michael examined the large Oak tree just outside the waffle house and saw much more than just an ordinary tree. It was a work of art in his eyes.

"What are you looking at so hard?" He took a sip of his orange juice then continued to scarf down his pancakes as if he were in a contest of some sort and he was the only participant.

"…the lines…" His eyes soon ventured toward young LJ and he smiled. "You wouldn't understand, you're way too young…"

"I'm 21 Uncle Michael…"

"That may be, but I'm 34 therefore I should have a little more common sense than that of a 21 year old."

"You're always using age as an excuse. I have a relationship now you know…" The young man sighed and began to blow bubbles through his straw.

"Yes, but you have the heart of a child…" Scofield poked the yoke of his egg with his fork and watched the yellow liquid drain onto his plate.

"Dani says that is part of my charm. Besides, I have to grow up soon anyway. I just want to enjoy being a kid while I have the opportunity."

"LJ, you said that years ago and you haven't grown up a bit. What makes this different?"

"It just does…" LJ looked at the exact same tree his uncle had been staring at and sighed deeply.

"I have known you for 21 years and you have never given me a straight answer with some extraordinary response. What is going on?" Noticing LJ's sudden change, Michael waved his large right hand in front of his face and watched the young man's face turn to him again.

"…Dani's pregnant…" He shook his shaggy brown hair away from his eyes only to meet Michael's eyes glaring toward his own. "I didn't mean to get myself in such a mess but I'm not turning my back on the woman I deeply care about. I saw it happen to a man sitting across from me and I know better…"

"LJ, I'm with the woman I want…" Michael began to stare at the Oak tree with great intensity building in his eyes. He noticed the two robins nestled together on one of the lower branches.

"Cut the crap Uncle Mike, you and I both know you wanted Sara and you're just settling for Nicole but who you really want is with another man and it kills you on the inside that she is with another man…" The handsome green eyed man stabbed his last pancake nearly to death and looked at Michael.

"What are you going to do now LJ?" Scofield scooted his plate to the end of the table and folded his hands out in front of him neatly.

"I have no choice but to support Dani and the baby…what would you do Michael?"

"I wouldn't know…I'm not the man with a child on the way…"

"That may be true but you never know what the future has in store for us…who knows what could happen?" LJ stacked his now empty plate on top of Michael's and looked over at the wall clock behind the bar. "I have to go to work…"

--------------------------------------- Nicole's Apartment --------------------- (9:26 a.m.) --------

"_Went to waffle house…be back soon…Michael…"_

Nicki set the note back on top of the pillow beside her and rubbed her tired eyes. She shot a glance out the window only to find a couple inches of fluffy white snow on the ground. The snow caused a major decrease in her mood immediately. If there was anything in the world she would get rid of, that very thing would be snow. She propped her head up with her arm and removed the hair from in front of her eyes.

"It's about time you got up!" Dani came rushing into the dark brunette's bedroom and plopped on her bed excitedly. "You will never believe who just called…"

"I don't know…" Rolling her eyes, Nicole felt her head fall against the pillow once more and sighed deeply. She wanted more than anything to tune her sister out but it was almost impossible.

"Come on sis, just guess please…" Danielle picked up the note from the opposite pillow of Nicki and smiled. "Is this from your lover?" She began reading the note until Nicki snatched it away.

"Yes, and it is absolutely none of your business…" The dark brunette raised her body from the bed so that she was now eye level with her only sister. She pulled a cigarette from the night stand and quickly lit it.

"If only Michael saw that…" Dani pressed her lips together firmly and shook her head disgracefully.

"He won't because he isn't here and you're not telling him or else you'll be the next victim of my 'slugger'." She took in a small puff of her cigarette and exhaled it into a tiny circle. "So what was the big surprise?"

"Right, the doctor's office called for you this morning…" Dani began as she watched Nicki's eyes merely fall out of her own head. "Hold up there sis, it isn't bad…he just wanted to let me know that the baby is…"

"Whose?" The dark brunette removed the cigarette from her lips and glued her eyes onto her sister's.

"Like it is a surprise…wait! You didn't know…Nicole Kristine Burlow…tell me what is going on now!" She demanded snagging the cigarette away from Nicki. "Tell me…"

"What are you talking about? I knew it was Michael's. It was the only possibility, so don't get all stupid on me. What were you thinking? The only man I've slept with is Michael Dani. I mean, you have to believe me…" Panic stricken, she grabbed the cigarette back and quickly inhaled.

"Nicole, I know you're lying to me…I'm not stupid."

"I didn't say you were stupid by any means…I just was testing you that's all…"

"Calm down sis…"

"…but you're sure it is Michael's…" She looked down at her stomach then back toward Dani. "…"

"Yes, the doctor confirmed it this morning. Does the man even know?" Dani questioned Nicki and smiled. "He doesn't does he?"

"Not yet, but I am working on it. It just takes time…that's all…" Nicki lifted her body away from the bed and walked toward the window. She opened the window slightly and threw the cigarette just outside the window.

"You do realize that smoking while you're pregnant is a bad right? That is one of the first things my doctor told me and I would hate to see something happen…"

"Why don't you go and worry about you Dani? I have everything taken care of…everything…" The dark brunette looked out the window toward the mailbox and sighed. "…everything…" She repeated.

------------------------- Food Town -------------------------------- (12:26 p.m.) -------------------

Michael placed his headphones into his ears and turned on his Mp3 player as he began to mop the aisles of Food Town. Many thoughts entered and left his brilliant mind quickly. He leaned against his mop slightly and looked up and down the aisles for nothing in particular but still found it necessary. The tattooed man noticed a young woman toward the end of his aisle with gorgeous brown hair and eyes that could make any grown man cry. He continued to watch the brunette look through the vast aisle of soup until she glanced toward him. Cowering his head, he began mopping the floor yet again.

"Michael?" The brunette questioned staring at Scofield as if he were a center piece in an art museum in the middle of Food Town. "Is that you?" The voice drawled deeply.

"What are you doing here baby?" Michael's eyes looked a bit surprised to find Nicki standing in front of him with star lit eyes. He sat his mop into the large yellow bucket and closed in closer to the young lady.

"I didn't think you worked today…?" Nicki kissed Michael on the cheek softly and rested her head just underneath his chin.

"I didn't. They called me when I was at the Waffle House with LJ and thought I could do them a favor here. I also could use the money…" Scofield sighed and looked down at his watch. "I know…" He whispered into her ear.

Shocked Nicki looked up at Michael and saw nothing but a worried face. He wrapped his arms around Nicki and sighed. She let out a rather deep sigh and looked into Michael's light blue eyes with hers brilliantly green ones. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner. I just wasn't sure what you would say and I didn't want you to leave me…"

"I know you've been hurt in the past and I highly respect that but lying to me is a completely different ball game, especially with this highly important information. I didn't want to find out through the doctor but I did this morning until Dani decided to snag the phone away from me." He rolled his eyes and sighed. "I just wanted you to be honest. Why would I leave you baby?"

"I don't know. My hormones are going crazy right now and I guess it's them talking…"

"Well, I would much rather have you talking then them."

"Me too…this whole having to pee every second of the day sucks…" The dark brunette let out a small chuckle and sighed. "I'm really sorry about everything. I just didn't want you to have to worry about anything. I have enough on my plate, I'm practically going insane and you're the one who keeps me sane. If you go insane then there would be no more sanity."

"Whoa, come down there cowgirl. I want to raise this child with you Nicki. Nothing will tare us apart from this. I'm sure Jenny would love a sibling…" Scofield began staring down at the tiled floor until he felt Nicki's hands lift his chin back up. "I want to be there for her…"

"So, when exactly were we leaving for Chicago?" The dark brunette smiled as did Michael. She kissed him intensely. "I want to be with you…"

"Are you sure you want to leave Tipp?" Michael continued to smile uncontrollably until he looked back toward Nicki. Her facial expression wasn't so enthusiastic anymore. It was more or less unhappy now.

"Yes, I'm positive." She reassured him.

"I've known you way too long…I know you're not happy. What is going on?"

"I just can't stand lying to you anymore…" She confessed. "I didn't tell you about the baby because I wasn't sure who the father was. I knew it was you in my heart but I had to make sure. When I took the test at the hospital the dates were close when I broke things off with Mason and went out with you. I'm so sorry!" She practically begged just beneath his chin.

"It's okay. Everything is completely okay. I would love the baby either way as long as I'm with you…" Scofield smiled and lifted her chin up to reveal tears. He quickly wiped the tears onto his uniform and smiled once more. "Why don't you go home, take a bath and I'll be home in a few hours…"

"Okay…" The dark brunette lifted her head away from Michael and picked up her small grocery basket. "…Goodbye….Mr. Scofield…" She added.

"It's Michael, Ms. Burlow…"

"It's Nicki…"

Scofield watched the young woman slowly walk away from him. Her body left but her high spirits remained in the presence of him. The knowledge he had just received made his head merely spin off balance.

"Michael, you're going to be a father again…" He whispered to himself. "…"

------------------------------ Nicole's Apartment ----------------------- (5:06 p.m.) --------------

"There is no way in hell I am naming my child Deloris. That was my aunt's name and she was a thief to the family name." Dani turned on the electric range and placed a skillet just on top of the burner. **(A/N: No offense if your name is Deloris…sorry…but it is kind of a true story…SORRY!)**

"Fine, what about LJ…come on…I want the boy to be named after me." LJ practically begged reaching above the refrigerator for the loaf of bread. He sat it on the counter beside Dani and smiled. "Please…"

"If we have a son we should name him the family name…" Dani scooped a small amount of butter into the frying pan and watched it begin sizzling before her eyes.

"There is no way in hell I'm naming my son Aldo. I stand by my dad on that issue. I have no problem with Lincoln but Aldo…dude…come on baby…you are smarter than that…"

"I am but I just thought it would be cute to carry down the name…that is all…" The young woman began spreading butter on one side of the bread and began placing them on top of the sizzling frying pan.

"I know…but Aldo…the name just sounds funny. We don't want our son to be the one getting beat up everyday after school?!" He commented handing his girlfriend a couple slices of American cheese.

"Hun, your father named you LJ and you still have horror stories of getting beat up. Luckily for me I had my big sister who never puts of with any form of shit from anyone. Heck, the president could say something wrong and that woman wouldn't be afraid to set him straight." The blonde smiled and gently laid a piece of cheese on top of the frying bread.

"…" LJ blankly stared into Dani's eyes as he rolled his tongue inside his mouth.

"Wait, you don't have some stupid comment to say to that? I'm obviously shocked but more disappointed in you young man. How many slices of cheese would you like?"

"I know, I'm ashamed…" He bent his head down and raised two fingers indicating the amount of cheese he wanted on his sandwich.

"What are you doing home…?" Dani questioned as she noticed Nicki just entering the apartment. She grabbed a spatula and began flipping the grilled cheese. "I guess a better question would be why you're at your own apartment…"

"Michael instructed me to go home and relax so I took his advice. If you need me I will be in my room." Nicki sat her purse onto the chair beside the front door and wrapped her scarf around a hook directly across from the front door. "How are you two anyway?"

"Well, we were actually in the middle of picking out baby names. Do you have any ideas?" The blonde questioned plating her freshly made dinner.

"Well, if it is a girl I've always loved the name Caitlyn. But if it is a boy I would definitely go for the family name Lincoln…" The dark brunette sighed and plopped herself onto the couch beside the kitchen.

"Well, I thought about that too but it turns out the family name is Aldo." Dani commented.

"Hey, I voted for Deloris but I guess that got rejected as usual. I'm just a guy after all. It's not like my opinion is valued either way…" The young man snatched a giant bite out of his sandwich and looked at the lovely ladies in front of him. "…women…" He whispered just under his breath.

"Don't even go there young man. I'm sure you ain't lookin' for a kick in the ass tonight sonny boy…" Nicki drawled deeply lifting her body slowly away from the couch. She looked at the happy couple and smiled. "I'd keep onto this one if I were you Dani…"

Without saying another word the dark brunette ventured onward toward her bedroom. She sighed and lifted her hoodie over her head and threw it onto the bed in front of her. The outline of her bra was visible through her thin white tee. Nicki looked down at her shirt and shrugged her shoulders as if it wasn't anything unusual. Venturing her way to the bathroom, she grabbed a small stack of clothes from her hamper next to the bathroom door and sat them on top of the toilet.

Nicole reached over the tub of her bathroom and turned the knob all the way to the red and watched the steam begin to fill the bathroom rapidly. She casually shut the door of the bathroom and looked around the room. The bathroom was like any other ordinary bathroom, nothing fancy. It was just enough for her without going over board. She grabbed a hair tie from the counter of the room and pulled back her hair into a pony tail that reached her mid back.

The water soon filled the bath tub as the dark brunette turned the faucet knob off. She quickly slipped out of her clothes and entered the tub easily. The water from the tub made a quick rise reaching her mid back. Nicki began washing her arms followed by her legs and looked around the bathroom. Turning her head slightly she saw a tall man hovering over the tub with a bag in one hand and a flower in the other.

"What are you doing home so early?" Nicki questioned looking at the bag in his hand and smiling. "I guess a better question would be what is in the bag?" She skeptically looked through the thin grocery bag only to find a tub of ice cream and a container of cool whip.

"I just thought we could watch a movie together after all the drama today." Scofield placed the plastic bag on top of the long counter near the sink and plopped himself beside the tub. He stared deeply into the young woman's eyes and smiled. "You look beautiful."

"Yeah, right…look at this…" The dark brunette sighed exhaustedly and pointed to her stomach. "Do you know how long it took to work on this figure and it can only go down hill from here…"

"I don't think so…" Michael leaned in for a kiss only to be splashed by the woman in the tub. He wiped his eyes and smiled.

"I think so…" She said pulling the plug of the drain and standing up. Reaching for the towel she felt Michael's hand against her bare hips as water trickled down her legs and body.

Scofield gently lifted the woman from the tub and placed her on a white bath mat in front of the shower. He handed her a towel and watched her intently dry herself from all the water accumulated through her last activity. Nicki smiled and slipped her body into a freshly cleaned pair of blue panties and pulled over a light blue tank top. She handed the wet towel to Michael and began brushing her hair in front of the rather large bathroom mirror. The brush slowly began untangling her newly cleaned dark hair as tiny water droplets scattered from her wet hair. In the corner of her eye she saw Michael wiping his face from the water drops.

"Don't be such a baby…" Nicki pulled out her blow dryer from beneath the sink and plugged it into the wall beside the mirror. "…Mr. Scofield…for being a big time engineer you sure are a baby…"

"No, you're just a crazy southern woman…it's not me…" Scofield smiled and grabbed a seat on the edge of the tub. He watched Nicki begin to blow dry her hair and smiled.

The tattooed man watched his girlfriend dry her hair with great intensity building. Every move she made was a work of art. The love of his life was an artist in her own way with every hair she brushed. Without missing a beat he lifted his body away from the side of the tub and hovered behind the young woman. Gently placing his big hands on her sides he felt her body shiver immensely as if she were nervous about his gentle touch.

Nicki looked down at the large hands baring on her hips and put down her hair dryer. She quickly began staring into the large mirror in front of her and blankly stared at the tattooed man. Her body wanted more than anything for him to sweep her off away from the bathroom but her mind wasn't so sure. That was the one thing that bothered her the most. Placing her hands on top of his she could feel him move in closer to her and smiled lightly.

"You never answered my questioned." She whispered resting the back of her damp head onto his work shirt. Her body began slightly leaning against him by this time.

"What question?" Michael began kissing the right side of her neck lightly, leaving a small trail of kisses on and around her neck until he felt Nicki's hands pull him away. He smiled and looked down toward her face. The height difference between them sometimes made it hard but he would always figure out a way.

"…Chicago…?" Nicki continued to whisper looking down at her fingers lying gently on top of his.

"…I called my previous job about a day or two ago and they said I need to be there within the week. I told them I would call them tonight with the information. I also said I had to discuss the situation with my girlfriend before making any decisions. I am willing to do whatever it is you want from me baby. I promise…either way we will be happy…"

"I know, I just don't want to disappoint you." The young woman leaned closer to Michael and smiled. "I want to be with you, I'll move to Chicago if that is what we need to do. I'll be with you every step of the way as you were for me…"

"…" Michael said nothing and grasped the young woman tighter in complete happiness over the answer she gave him. "Okay, I promise to get us a big house for our baby and everything. Are you sure this is what you want?"

"Yes, I'm sure…this is what I want…I want you…" She turned around and kissed the man like no tomorrow. "I just want you to promise me you won't leave me…"

"…I promise" He whispered continuing to kiss Nicki as if he were never to see her again.

"Okay, what are you waiting for? Go call your boss and get this thing planned young man…" She watched Michael scurry out of the bathroom in high hopes. Nicki looked down at her left hand and smiled.

------------------------------- Michael's Apartment --------------------- (10:23 p.m.) ------------

"…I give up on baby names Dani. Every name I suggest you always decline them. Why don't you name this baby?" LJ shook his head as he felt Dani's hand rub his inner thigh and smiled. "No, that isn't going to work…"

"I beg to differ…" Dani bit the side of his ear and watched LJ's face turn pink.

"Have you seen my…whoa…" Michael interrupted the couple on the couch and sighed. "I'm sorry, I was just looking for my phone. Have you seen it?"

"You could knock sometimes Uncle Mike…" LJ's face turned even redder as he watched his uncle nearly lose it. "Your phone is right here…" He tossed the tiny silver phone to Michael and smiled. "Now could you please leave…?"

"Right…" With that Michael left the young couple on the couch and stood just outside his living room on the cement porch. He dialed a few numbers and held the earpiece to his own ear.

"Hello?" A stern voice answered.

"Hello sir, this is Michael Scofield and I was calling in regards to my old job." Michael looked around the scenery of Tipp City consisting of trees and things of that sort.

"Right, if you are looking for your job you need to be here in three days. If you're not here in three days we have a guy who came in for your position today that is highly qualified."

"Yes sir, we will be there. Did you get house I was talking about in our agreement?" Michael proceeded to question.

"Yes, it will be furnished and waiting your arrival…"

"Thank you sir, I'll see you in three days…"

"Goodbye Mr. Scofield…."

"Goodbye sir…"

Michael quickly shut his phone and smiled against the back sliding glass door. He looked inside at Dani and LJ giggling on the couch together. His entire body was beginning to feel cold but that didn't stop the man from dancing a somewhat of a happy dance. Meanwhile Nicki could see him through the yard. She ran up behind him and jumped on his back. Michael caught the leaping woman and smiled as he ran around in circles.

"Ahhh!!!" Nicki yelled. "Put me down!" She demanded smiling as he began to spin her faster.

"Okay, fine…baby…" He placed Nicki on the patio couch and smiled as he hovered over her freshly cleaned body. Running his fingers down her soft skin created a look of happiness across his face.

"…I love you Michael…" She whispered awaiting the reaction from Michael. In her mind she knew those words could ruin what they had but it had to be said. It just had to be said.

"I love you too…" He said quickly after his girlfriend. The man looked deep into her now blue eyes and smiled. "I love you!" He shouted as he began to kiss her neck creating a small shiver down her spine.

"Do you have everything taken care of?" Nicki questioned running her fingers along his back.

"Yes, everything is in place. We leave in three days…"

"Wow, okay…Chicago here I come."

"I love you…" He repeated.

"I know…" She said.

"Wait, what was that for?"

"I mean I love you…"

"That's much better. I don't want to have to arrest you…"

"I don't think that would be such a bad thing…" She snickered.

"Ms. Burlow you are under arrest…"

"Okay…Mr. Scofield…" She held her hands out together and awaited the handcuffs but saw none. "Are you a chicken Mr. Scofield?"

"No, I just don't want to hurt you or the baby…"

"I know you don't…"

---------------------------------- End Of Chapter -----------------------------------------------------

A/N: Well, most questions were finally answers but some still remain. Will Chicago be everything Nicki is planning it out to be or will she be disappointed? What will happen to Dani and LJ once their family is in Chicago? Will the fact Sara being in Chicago change Michael in any way shape or form? Stay tune to chapter 13 to find out!

Also, I'm sorry it took me so long to post this. The real world is getting in the way again. I hate it when that happens…

I would also like to give a shout out to C & P!! GOOD LUCK!!!

Okay, I'm leaving now…good luck!!


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with Prison Break or any of its contents. I do however own Nicole Burlow and Danielle Evans.

A/N: Well, here is chapter 13. I hope you guys enjoy it! I have decided to cut the book short on the count of several reasons. The last chapter will be Chapter 14 so yeah…here we go!!!

**Three Days Later…**

---------------------------------- Nicole's Apartment --------------------------- (11:45 a.m.)------

"Good morning Nicki. Are you ready for Chicago?" Michael slowly opened his eyes to find himself swirled in the sheets of the bed all alone. He opened his eyes wider to find a note on the pillow beside him.

"_I'm sorry Michael. When you're ready to leave just leave your set of keys on the island and Dani will know what to do. I appreciate everything you've done for me, I really do but there is a woman in Chicago who needs you more than I ever will. If you love me like you say you do, you will do the right thing and go be with your daughter. She needs you now more than ever. As for our child, the doctor called last night and told me the results for my text were switched and I'm not pregnant so you have no reason to talk to me again. Your apartment keys are on the kitchen table. Good luck with the rest of your life… _

_Love,_

_Nicole Burlow"_

Gasping for air Michael quickly threw the note to the ground and looked around the room. The furniture was still in the same place but he could tell something was missing. The room just felt somewhat empty to him. He began to count the number of furniture until he looked down at the nightstand and saw the photo of him and Sara missing. At that very moment the tattooed man was emotion-less. He was in a state of complete shock between his body trembling and his mind turned off he knew deep inside there was something wrong. He looked down at his silver cell phone and heard it ringing.

"Hello?" The man answered wiping his tired eyes awaiting the person to speak.

"Hi?" A familiar female voice answered. She looked down at her boney fingers and sighed. "I tried calling you earlier but nobody answered. I know you told me never to call you Michael but I need you…"

"Sara, is that you?" Scofield looked down at his watch then back up toward the back wall of the bedroom. He wiped his eyes yet again just to make sure this wasn't a dream of some sort and sighed.

"I know I didn't treat you right in the beginning and I'm sorry for that. My wedding was yesterday but I left him Todd at the alter. The fact is when I looked at him all I saw was you…just you Michael. I heard that you were moving back to Chicago…"

"Sara, Listen I'm sorry for everything I may have done to you truly but why would you risk your happy ending for a man with a girlfriend?" Michael questioned in anticipation for the answer. His heart raced as did the rest of his body.

"Well, I knew this man back at Fox River who would come in every day for an insulin shot. He would leave me roses, paper cranes and other neat items. This man taught me the meaning of life and to take a chance even if the chances are against you. He taught me what it was like to truly live and for that I thank him. But most of all he taught me to love…" Sara began to sob as she paused to take a breath. "I know this is crazy but I love you. I want to be with you and I hope you feel the same…"

"I love you…" He whispered just under his breath as he noticed LJ walk by the room. His nephew looked unaffected by anything as if nothing was happening at that very moment. "I can't talk right now but I'll be home soon…Chicago…I mean…" Michael shut his phone tight and sighed.

Scofield stood up from the bed and walked outside Nicki's bedroom. He grabbed the keys from his pocket and placed two gold keys to the apartment he was currently in and placed them on the dining room table. Turning around he saw two sets of eyes staring toward him which made him feel uncomfortable. From behind him he heard his name and turned around at the calling of his ever so popular name.

"Michael!" Dani yelled as she watched the man turn around. She was currently placed on the couch in the arms of LJ as she smiled and giggled. "Listen, I hope the things between you and my sister won't affect the relationship between you and LJ. You're one of the only living relatives he knows and I have a baby who I want you to be there for. My sister really is a good person, she is just difficult and when she gets an idea such as leaving you she goes through with it. I'm sorry."

"I don't want any harsh feelings as well and I would love to be apart of you and LJ's life. I would also appreciate it if you would give Nicki a message for me. Tell her that I didn't mean any harm and I really did love her at one time but this time I learned my lesson. This time I have to follow my heart as I'm sure she is doing the same. I'll be out in about an hour to catch a plane."

"You're leaving the state Uncle Mike?" LJ spoke up kissing Dani's shoulder and smiling.

"There is someone waiting for me there LJ. You know what it is like to be in love and now it is my turn. My two favorite young ladies are awaiting me and I refuse to turn my backs on them again…" Scofield looked down at his feet and sighed. "I'm sorry it had to be this way. LJ, you're welcome to come or stay here. Your choice…"

"Uncle Mike, I have a family here and I intend on being there for every moment." He turned to face Dani and kissed her directly on her ruby red lips. "I wish you all the best in Chicago dude."

"Here…" Michael handed LJ a set of keys and smiled as he heard the jingle of the keys landing in the lap of the young man. "You can have the apartment; I'll pay for it until you get on your feet again."

"Holy shit, we have our own place!" LJ quickly stood up from the couch lifting Dani as well. "We have our own place1" He yelled out again spinning the love of his life around the living room in celebration.

"Wait, Michael, what are the other keys for?" Dani held another set of keys up with a puzzled look on her face.

"Those are to your brand new Trailblazer parked in the driveway." Michael smiled and watched the young couple light up. "I love you…both…"

"Oh Michael, you didn't have to do this…"

"Yes I did, you're family…."

--------------------------------- Chicago Airport ------------------------------------ (5:23 p.m.) ---

Michael lifted the luggage from the compartment just above his head and took in a deep breath. He was nervous about the meeting with Sara. Yes, he loved the woman with all his heart but there was still nerves traveling through his body despite what he wanted to feel. Just outside the plane he noticed a familiar brunette alongside a carrot red haired young girl. He dashed inside the airport to find the two beautiful women standing next to each other.

"Sara…?" Scofield began to stare into Sara's brown eyes until their lips met causing the little red head to turn away quickly. He let go of her and smiled as she wiped her lips clean of what he left behind. "I've missed you…"

"I've missed you…" She emphasized the word you and looked down at Jenny who continued to cover her eyes despite the fact the 'moment' was temporarily gone.

"Michael, can we go home now, I'm tired…." Jenny lifted her bunny she held dear to her away from the ground and handed it to her father. She then lifted her arms as if she wanted to be held and smiled. "Mr. Scofield…"

"Right, I'm on…" Michael lifted the young red head deep into his arms and looked at Sara as they headed just outside the airport. By this time Jenny had fallen somewhat to sleep. "Where do we go from here?"

"Well you can come to my place…if you want to…Jenny I'm sure would love it if you would stay even if it were just a night. She is glad to see you, we both are…"

"We'll talk about this later Sara, right now I just want to watch the evening sky against your complexion. I want to watch you walk right beside me. I want to breathe your air and be with you day by day."

"I want you!" Sara intertwined her fingers in his and smiled as they walked together out into the vast parking lot departing into a new future.

---------------------------------- Remote Location -------------------- (9:12 p.m.) ----------------

"I loathe you!" Nicki spit into the face of an ex-lover. She looked the tall southern man up and down and smirked. "I refuse to be your piece of meat…"

"I believe you have no choice little lady…" Mason drawled smiling at the wound just above his eye equivalent to the gash in his right arm from being man handled by Sucre.

"I'm an independent woman…I don't need you to dictate my life…not anymore and not now!"

Nicki was currently tied against a chair in the middle of a leaky dark remote location. On either side of her she had trained snipers along with her ex and a pistol staring her down. She looked down at her feet which were in chains around the chair legs. Wiggling her feet she heard the infamous chuckle coming from the man in front of her. Mason leaned his body in toward her and brushed his lower waist against her causing a shiver up her spin.

"You'll learn to love me…someday…" Mason polished the pistol with a rag and smiled at the two nearly identical men in the room. "Someday…" He repeated.

------------------------------------- Sara's Place ------------------------- (10:18 pm.) --------------

"I guess I've missed a lot…" Sara remarked watching the tiny ripples in her glass of wine on the couch beside Michael. She ran her finger up and down his thigh grabbing his attention even more.

"What is in the past is in the past Sara. We can now live life together, start over with our family." Michael leaned in toward Sara continuing to feel the soft touch of her fingers. He placed the bottle of beer onto the coffee table moving in closer to Sara leaving a trail of kisses along her neck.

"Michael, what made you change your mind?" She eased his head away from her neck and looked deep into his eyes wanting the answer.

"Before I met you my glass was half empty until I realized that the glass is actually half full. I sat there for a while, lying awake. I wasn't satisfied with having a half full glass then it hit me. I could make it a full one if I found my other half and you are my half. Me and you put together creates something whole…" Scofield smiled and kissed her neck lightly.

"That's really sweet…" The dark brunette looked down as she watched Michael's hand venture up her thigh reaching the button holding her jeans together. She quickly pulled his hands away along with him. "What happened to the girl you were living with?"

"We had our differences. She wasn't my other half and it took me a while to realize it until I found what I was missing." He continued to crawl his fingers against the button of her jeans until it was removed once again.

"Did you love her?" She questioned looking deep into his eyes yet again.

"…honey, this doesn't have to be an interrogation…instead I can hoist you into my arms and I can finish what I'm trying to start in the bedroom…" He looked down at his fingers and traced the star of the button her jeans.

"…Please, just answer the question. I need to know…"

"Yes, I loved her at one point but it wasn't the love I have with you and now Jenny. You're the best thing that has ever happened to me and now I have Jenny who is a miracle…" Scofield smiled and kissed her on the cheek.

Without saying a word Michael took over and was now on all fours hovering over Sara. He noticed the smirk against Sara's pale white skin and looked deep into her dark eyes. Somehow they had a sparkle hidden beneath them. This very sparkle spoke to Michael every time he even glanced toward her. Sara however placed both hands just above her head giving into Michael's complete control.

-------------------------------- Remote Location -------------------------- (10:30 p.m.) -----------

"Alright, so let me get this straight. You broke up with the man who you desperately loved because you felt you weren't good enough for the man from prison? That is the biggest bunch of bull shit I've ever heard woman…" Mason continued to polish the barrel of his prized gun.

"At least I loved…you bastard…" Nicki turned to face a man with a shot gun beside her and stuck her tongue out childishly.

"Well, I did love…I loved you…." He repeated sarcastically.

"You didn't love me, as long as I was putting out you did but other than that you never cared…not like him…"

"Well this particular 'guy' is in trouble. His brother, the infamous Lincoln Burrows, owes the Chicago based mob some cash…90 grand to be exact and they need their cash. Since the poor man is deceased we go to the closet relative which was Aldo but by this picture…" He paused a moment and flashed a picture into the face of Nicki. "Well, he is in hell with his eldest son…"

"How the hell could you do this to an innocent man?" She cried out ignoring the fact she had three gun barrels pointing toward her direction. "You truly do have no heart…"

"It's not about having a heart sweetie; it is about having a big family…"

"I should have killed you when I had the chance…" The young brunette snarled her teeth and looked down at the concrete flooring.

"You were and still are madly in love with me…you didn't have that option baby…" He walked toward the woman sitting in the wooden chair and caressed her skin lightly. "…no choice…" He mumbled.

"Yeah, as long as you comfort yourself and sleep at night….bastard…" She added.

"I wouldn't talk to someone of power like that. I could snap my fingers and precious little Michael could be dead but I choose torture over death. Speaking of torturing loved ones, I believe I have an engagement with Mr. Scofield. Stewart…" Mason grabbed the attention of the man with the shot gun and smiled. "…Don't shoot her…she is our leverage….I'll be back tomorrow morning with Mr. Scofield…" A slight chuckle escaped his lips before turning toward Nicki. "Tootles…"

------------------------------------ Sara's Place ------------------------- (11:11 p.m.) --------------

"Wow, I had no idea you were this good Mr. Scofield. Yes, I've slept with you before but I would have to say you've improved…not that you were bad before but damn Michael…" Sara pulled up the bedroom sheets near the tip of her exposed cleavage and huddled closely to Michael who had a single arm wrapped around her body.

"You weren't so bad yourself Ms. Tancredi. The thing you did with that pretzel shape was pretty impressive…." Michael snickered under his breath and kissed the top of Sara's head as he began rubbing the top of her shoulder.

"I'm glad you're back Michael…" She whispered kissing his exposed chest.

"…Me too…" He mumbled.

----------------------------------- End of Chapter -----------------------------------------------------

A/N: Well, I know this chapter was a bit shorter than my other ones but this is the chapter before the last one in which will be sort of lengthy. This chapter may have been a bit confusing but I promise to clear everything up in Chapter 14 which is the last chapter. Like I've mentioned before, this book is a bit shorter than planned due to some discussing with my co-author. Anyway, I hope there is anticipation building for the last chapter which will be posted in about two weeks due to my birthday this weekend…

Also, for anyone who is interested I have started a short story entitled 'In the End' which is about Michael's childhood with another fictional character. So please go and check it out!!!

Shout out to my girls back home!!!


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with Prison Break or any of its contents.

A/N: Well this is the last chapter of this book. I really do hope you like the ending. I've planned for this ending ever since I came up with the book. There will be tears of joy and those of sadness. I've also been asked if this is going to be a sequel and I said probably not. Right now I want to focus on my first short story which has been posted called "In the End" then I want to possibly start a forth book about Michael and Sara this time. I kind of miss writing about the two of them rather than another character with Michael. This time I believe I'm going to begin the forth book in more of Sara's point of view rather than Michael but it isn't set in stone. Anyways, again I hope y'all enjoy it and I would appreciate any reviews!!

**The next morning…**

------------------------------------------- Sara's Place ----------------------------- (8:01 a.m.) -----

Michael rolled onto his back admiring the sun coming in from the window beside the bed of Sara's apartment. He looked down to find her hands still across his torso clutching onto him as if she never wanted to let go. In a sense he didn't want her to let go, he finally had the one woman he wanted more than anything and that was all that mattered. Sara was quick to notice his action of flipping onto his back and opened her eyes. She ran her fingers down his chest and against the brim of his boxers and smiled.

"Good Morning…" She whispered continuing to rub her soft hand against his tattooed torso until he swept away the hand and planted a giant kiss directly on top of it. "Is that your way of saying Good Morning?"

"Jenny woke up in the middle of the night last night saying there was a monster downstairs…" Michael chuckled and looked down at his midnight blue plaid boxers. "So I did what any father would do, I slipped out of the bed in my boxers and grabbed the bat from under your bed. I grabbed Jenny's hand and we went downstairs to investigate…that is when I saw the monster which turned out to be a folded black dress sock…" He sighed and laid her hand back against his chest.

"I'm sorry Michael, you could have gotten me up and I would've taken care of it without a problem. I am her mother…"

"Yes, and I am her father. From what I've heard it is the father's duty to investigate noises and other manly objectives. I'm just thankful to have my daughter back…"

"We're both thankful to have you back…" Sara kissed his neck and rolled onto her side as she placed her head on his broad shoulder. She gently lifted her head once more to situate her position when she heard tiny footsteps. Peaking up at the end of the bed was Jenny in her Scooby Doo pajamas and teddy bear.

"Mommy I can't sleep anymore…" The little girl carefully lifted herself onto the bed and nestled directly between the couple and smiled.

"It's okay Jenny, it is time for breakfast anyway…" The dark brunette smiled and ran her long boney fingers against the red hair of Jenny.

"What's for breakfast?" She questioned.

"I don't know you'll have to ask daddy…" The doctor smiled and watched Michael's face light up at the word 'daddy'.

"Well little girl, I'll fix you anything you want…eggs…bacon…grits…pancakes…" Michael took a moment to stop and think about what other breakfast foods could be offered to a five year old girl.

"I want ice cream and sprinkles…"

"Ice cream and sprinkles eh? I think we could arrange that." Scofield smiled as he watched Sara glare toward him. "What? My little girl wants ice cream and I said I would give her anything and I'm a man that doesn't back down on his word…"

"Yeah and you're not the one who has to pay for the dentist either…" Sara lifted the sheets away from her partially bare body and smiled. "I've got to go to work Michael. I need you to take her over to my aunt's house before you go into work. I'll call her and tell her that you'll be dropping Jenny off this time…" She swiftly walked into the bathroom beside her bed and shut the door behind her.

"Your mom is in kind of a bad mood don't you think?" Scofield removed his arm from around the little girl and sat up on the bed with his feet touching the ground beneath him. He rubbed his eyes from the previous night and glanced back toward Jenny.

"Can we go get ice cream now?" The little red head admired Michael for a moment before standing up in the middle of the messy bed sheets and smiling. She removed the red curls away from her face and jumped off the bed where she then darted out of the bedroom.

"Where are you going?" Scofield called out.

"I'm watching TV daddy…" A sweet little innocent voice answered.

Michael removed his enormous hands from his eyes wiping the last bit of water from the edges of his gorgeous blue eyes and smiled. In the distance he could hear a voice coming from the bathroom, such a voice that sounded as if it escaped an angel. He decided to venture his way to find the beautiful soul whose voice captivated his attention despite the fact he already knew who it was. Gently opening the door to the bathroom he saw Sara leaning against the shower doors with the water running as well as tears running down her own eyes.

Quickly to realize the status of Sara he wrapped his arms around her body allowing her to cry on his soft inviting shoulder. The long flow of steady tears left Michael's shoulder feeling moist and appearing shinier than ever. Despite the rough appearance of Sara, he still found an angel hidden beneath the apparent scars. He tightened his grasp against the brunette and continued to comfort her without a word spoken. It seemed that it was a lot easier without words. Emotion was sometimes more effective when dealing with Sara in the eyes of young Scofield.

"Michael, I'm sorry for everything…" Sara belted out holding tighter onto his arms as she began crying even harder while yelling simultaneously.

"Whoa…calm down Sara…I'm here…for you and Jenny and nothing is going change that baby…I'm back and better than ever. Listen to me…" Michael lifted her chin up to face him eye to eye and smiled. "I do in fact realize there is going to be a lot of obstacles but we're strong enough to overcome them. If you're worried about Nicki well I'll reassure you in any way possible that she is nothing to me and never will be."

"It's not that Michael…" She bolted her eyes to the bathroom floor and shook her head despite Michael's hand still lifting her chin. "I can't do it anymore…"

"Wait…what can't you do…rewind baby…what is going on?" Scofield continued to stare into her brilliantly colored brown eyes with hope yet fear hidden beneath the solid layer of hope.

"I can't afford living here anymore. I'm three months behind on my rent, I can't afford paying my aunt for babysitting Jenny…if I don't pay this month we're getting kicked out of the apartment. I'm already working down at the FBI agency and part time at Fox River but I can't do it anymore. I barely have enough time for Jenny and balancing you is just way too much…" She admitted, tears still streaming down her face.

"Is that all?" Michael questioned innocently.

"Is that all? Sara mocked Michael rolling her eyes. "That is everything. What happens next? I want you Michael, I always have and now that you're here I don't have time for you…"

"You let me worry about everything. I'll take care of it from now on, you're welcome to keep your job but I have it. I have an interview tomorrow back at my firm. Everything is going to be just fine." Scofield kissed the top of her head and smiled. "As for today, you're taking the day off and we're going to take our daughter out for ice cream and sprinkles." He let go of the tight grasp around Sara and smiled as he backed away from her.

"I'll be ready soon. Do me a favor and call my aunt to tell her about our plans and if you would dress Jenny I would appreciate it." Sara watched Michael sigh as any usual man would do and slowly walk away. "…And Michael…!" She exclaimed. "I love you."

"I love you too…" Scofield smiled and walked away from the bathroom in search of his very own five year old.

------------------------------- Remote Location --------------------- (1:01 p.m.) ------------------

"Fuck you…" Nicki spat in the face of Mason as she crossed her ankles and smirked.

"Young lady, I don't believe you understand…" Mason coughed and looked at the guardsmen. "You can either tell me where Michael is or you can be shot and killed for something you had nothing to do with little girl."

"Fuck you Mason…" The southern woman stomped her heels to the ground and glared into the eyes of Mason with such intensity that can only be described as such an anger that could only be found at the pit of a person's broken heart.

"Are you actually protecting him because you believe that he will hear of your heroism and come running back to you, after all you did lie to him? Did you actually believe that he would love you after lying to him about your own child…" Mason rubbed the side of the barrel of his gun directly onto her stomach and smiled. "After all, you're still pregnant and with his child. You're pregnant with a man's child who never loved you…classic white trash story I suppose."

"It is better off this way. Anyone could see that I wasn't the woman for him, Sara is and I respect her for that. It wasn't my place to stop the love they had for each other. So why don't you leave him alone, kill me and call it a day."

"Because you seemed to have forgotten the ninety grand Lincoln Burrows owed us. Without that money I'm nothing to the mob anymore and I can't have that Nicole and you knew that…"

"What you're actually trying to say is that without the money you're just a dumbass who can't find his place in the mob. I understand everything Mason. You're a dick and I know it is difficult to cope with but I'm sure your slut…sorry, I mean Shelley can help you with your troubles." A sly smile appeared across Nicki's face as Mason's turned red.

"I wouldn't talk to me like that seeing that I have the power to take your life at any point. Now, where was I? Right, the part about you lying to Michael about the baby, I can't believe that you didn't have the balls to tell him about us that night a few days after meeting prince charming…"

"You swore to never bring that night up ever again…bastard…"

"Nicki, Nicki, Nicki poor innocent Nicki…I'm sorry but love hurts sometimes doesn't it? If only you would have been honest about that one night and how you're carrying my child. Perhaps you'd also like to mention how you paid the doctor off to lie for you so your poor little innocent heart wouldn't weep and hurt so horribly. Well that wait is over young lady. You'll be able to clear your name in the next few hours I suspect seeing that Mr. Scofield will be here and all…" Mason began to stare toward Sara closer than he had in his entire life.

"Why do you want to bring Michael into this anyway? All you have to do is give him a ring and he'll wire the money then you can just leave everyone alone…" The dark brunette suggested with a slight twang in her voice.

"Excuse me, but I believe I have a meeting with mister Scofield. I'll be back soon doll…" With that Mason picked up his trench coat from the arm of his chair and glanced behind his shoulder one last time before smiling and shutting the door tightly behind him.

----------------------- Sara's Place ------------------------------ (1:36 p.m.) -----------------------

"Daddy, can we go and get ice cream now? Please?" Jenny begged at the feet of her father with her hands in a prayer position and eyes shut tightly.

"Yes sweetie, after all, I did promise you and daddy never backs down on a promise especially one from his little girl…" Michael smiled and picked up the little girl and faced Sara. "Are you coming?" He questioned his newly found love watching her turn the 'power' button on the remote of the TV.

"Yes Michael, I wouldn't miss this for the world. Being with my two favorite people is all I ever want to do now…" With a slight tear in her eye she grabbed her purse from the desk by the front door.

As a newly found family, Michael, Sara and Jenny walked down the narrow hallway of the apartment complex. Michael's arm was firmly placed around the shoulders of Sara as Jenny held her mother's hand awkwardly tight and pranced down the hallway. The family seemed happy which was a new found feeling for all of them. The innocence of a child brought smiles to the two adult's faces which seemed impossible but was proven possible in that very moment. Scofield opened the door of Sara's Toyota Camry and buckled his daughter in safely in the booster seat provided. He turned around from the car and was immediately grabbed by two men wearing completely back.

"What the hell?" Michael wiggled his body and began screaming as he saw Sara and Jenny pull away with a strange tall dark man in the driver's site. His eyes bulged out of his head as he was shoved into a white work van.

Michael looked around the back of the work van then back down at his new shiny hand cuffs wrapped tightly around his wrists. In the back of the van consisted of two men, one of which had a gun almost against Michael's chest. The other man was rather obese, fairly pale and had a crooked tooth in the front of his mouth. He glanced back down at the cuffs wrapped around his wrists and sighed as he looked out the back window. His eyes were merely in tears but he tried desperately to not show his emotion, realizing then and there this wasn't a prank.

After what seemed like an eternity the van came to a complete stop sending Michael half way across his seat. The pale man hoisted Michael's arms nearly ripping them out of there sockets and drug the tattooed man inside what looked like an abandoned building. The other man with the gun followed closely behind Scofield just before the driver who was swinging his keys around his index finger. Michael opened his eyes to find himself in a giant empty room.

Scofield noticed Nicki sitting puzzled and confused in shackles in the middle of the room. Next to her was a somewhat tall guy whom which was without a doubt southern decent. The tight grasp of the strange man's arm left a bruise as he was thrown on the ground directly in front of the southern man. He twisted himself upright and looked into the eyes of Nicki with what appeared to be fear.

"I'm glad you could make it here Mr. Scofield. Not to worry, Sara and little Jenny are perfectly safe…" A slight chuckle came out of the mouth of Mason followed by a smirk aimed to Michael.

"Where are they?" The tattooed man demanded looking from Nicki then back to Mason. "Why am I here? If it is about Nicki and me, we are through and I have no ties to her anymore…"

Nicki looked down at her shackled ankles as a tear rolled down the side of her face. Deep down she knew that Michael wasn't the man for her but it still hurt just as hard. The word 'through' from the voice of Scofield hurt even more without a doubt. She looked up at Michael and smiled in hopes there would be a smile for her but instead felt cold by the look he gave her.

"You have something I need Michael…" Mason turned to face Michael once more before kicking him back to the ground with his entire mite. "Now, I need the money that was borrowed by your brother, Lincoln Burrows."

"What money?" Michael questioned still staring at Mason despite the bleeding coming from his lower right eye. He glared up toward the southern man in pure fury at this moment in time.

"Well, it turns out your brother borrowed money from the 'gang'…" Mason emphasized the world 'gang' with a drawl and a smile. "So, where is it?"

"I can get you the money tomorrow morning when the bank opens. My bank isn't open on Monday…" Scofield turned away and looked in the metal leg of Nicki's chair at the reflection of his face. There was a slight scar forming from the kick Mason gave him.

"I'm sorry Michael. You see, I need that money in two hours or my position is gone…so you see…you either give me the money or everyone you know and love will die…even Jenny…" The southern man held up a picture of young Jenny at the park and ripped it down the middle furiously. He scattered the pieces at the feet of Michael and chuckled.

"I can get you the money plus a thousand dollars if you could just wait one more day. I have the money and I can prove it to you…just don't kill my little girl…" Tears came streaming down Michael's face as he begged the southern man in front of him.

"Excuse me…" Mason picked up this cell phone and smiled. "Yeah?" He answered.

"Sir, we have the little girl and foxy brunette…" A buff African American man gripped onto Sara's arm tightly as he escorted her out of the Camry.

"Good, bring them in…" He shut his phone and smiled. "Looks like your girlfriend and daughter made it here…and speak of the devil…there they are…"

Michael watched the innocence of his little girl's face walk across the cement flooring of the abandoned building. She had a stuffed rabbit in one hand and the large man's hand in another. Sara however had a bruise on her right cheek along with the large indention of a hand print on the other side of her face. Scofield looked at the two most important women of his life and glared toward Mason. Nicki watched Sara and Jenny sit in a couple of chairs behind Mason and looked at the concerning face of Michael.

"Okay Mr. Scofield, prove to me that you have 91,000 in your account right now…" Mason demanded.

"Only if you let one of them go…" Michael argued back trying to let his hands free of the cuffs behind his back. This was one of the few instances that having big hands was not a benefit.

"Fine, which one…?" The southern man questioned.

"Jenny!" Sara called out in hopes Michael would listen to her. She held her cuffed hands firmly behind the back of the chair and looked deep into the crystal blue eyes of the man she so deeply fell in love with.

"Alright, let my daughter go and I'll show you…" Scofield waited for the tall black man to release his daughter and smiled as the little girl scurried over toward her father. He gave her his affection before being pulled away from his daughter by a skinny white man.

"Benny, take her to her aunt's house over on 23rd street. See to it that she makes it there…" The southern man directed one of his 'workers'. "Okay Scofield, if you fuck this up I'm not afraid to take the life of your woman…" He held a knife from his pocket and pointed toward Sara.

"What does this have to do with Sara Mason?" Nicki questioned trying to break the silence of the room. "This has nothing to do with her. You have what you've wanted…you have me and the money now…just let her go…"

"What do you think your doing?" Scofield whispered as he looked over toward Nicki but didn't see a single glance from Nicki.

"Let her go Mason. You and I both know that you won't kill her, you don't have a single bad bone in your body. I'll stay with you just let her go…"

"Why are you defending Sara all of the sudden? Just a few minutes ago you bashing the bitch and now you're all the suddenly on her side?" Mason questioned.

"Yes, I know I don't like her and she knows it but I can't see a mother and daughter be taken away. I know what it is like to not grow up with a mother. Mine died when I was about Jenny's age and there isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about her. Please don't put Jenny through what I had to…and you for that matter…" Realizing she touched a sensitive subject she smiled. "Mason, I know your mother loved you despite her decisions."

"Yes, but she didn't have to choose drugs over her own sons…" Mason wiped the barrel of his weapon and looked over at a now crying Sara. "Okay…I know…Charlie…un-cuff the two women…"

Charlie did as Mason instructed and first un-cuffed Nicki. Nicki smiled and continued to sit in the chair with her legs now crossed and a look of mere puzzlement across her face. Sara was soon un-cuffed after Nicki and reached inside the pocket of Charlie to pull out a 45. She quickly pointed the gun to Mason and closed her eyes.

"Sara, I know you don't respect me but I wouldn't shoot him if I were you…" Nicki stood up and watched Mason cock his gun toward Michael. "I don't know if you've ever shot a gun but Mason doesn't miss…"

"Shut the hell up you home wrecker. Honestly, I don't give a damn what you think anymore. You tore Michael away from me and he doesn't want you anymore. So why don't you go and get a manicure Barbie…" Sara said in a harsh tone.

"…I guess a deserved that…" Nicki whispered to herself. "I know I haven't been a very good person but as a fellow human being I would advise you not to do that…"

Sara felt the room spinning in circle after circle as she continued to point the gun toward Mason. Within a blink of an eye she fired her weapon sending a bullet through the heart of Mason. She opened her eyes and watched Mason hit the ground quickly. Nicki looked down on the ground beside her to find and open wound in the chest of Michael. Grabbing the attention of Sara, Nicki called out for the doctor and shook her head.

"Call an ambulance…" Sara shouted as she watched Nicki reach into her pocket and dialed the three digit phone number. She quickly stripped her shirt away from her chest and pressed it against the chest of Michael. "Everything is going to be okay." She whispered to Michael.

Shortly after the phone call, the paramedics arrived as well as the police and cornier. Michael was air lifted to a local hospital meanwhile Mason was placed inside a black body bag. Nicki stood in the middle of the empty room and held her stomach as tears filled her green eyes. Sara looked at Nicki, extremely disappointed by the fact she couldn't travel with Michael. The police soon traveled inside the building and stood in front of the two women.

"What happened?" The captain questioned looking at the cop beside him as the skinny cop took out a pad of paper and a pen to write down everything. "First lets start off with who shot the two men.

Without hesitating Nicki spoke. "I did…" She looked back at Sara and smiled. "Promise me that you won't leave Jenny, a daughter needs her mother…" Nicki whispered to Sara as the police officer quickly cuffed her and placed her inside the police car.

**3 days later…**

-------------------------------------Chicago ------------------- (1:00 p.m.) -------------------------

"We are gathered here today to mourn the loss of a loved one. He was a brother, boyfriend but most of all a father…" The preacher began.

Sara looked into the casket deep into the sleeping face of Michael and cried harder. Nicki sat beside Sara with two officers standing directly behind her. She was still in cuffs but was just thankful to be here. Jenny however was on Sara's lap crying yet not entirely sure what was going on. The entire group of people was vast and took up most of the room inside the funeral home. Sucre and Maricruz sat on the other side of Sara along with their very own daughter.

"The time has come to lay a good man to rest…" The preacher finished. "I would like to conclude today with a small speech from Michael's best friend, his companion in which he would have done anything for. But most of all she was the love of his life. Sara…"

The dark brunette slowly stood up and walked toward the microphone in the front of the funeral home in front of the casket. "He was not only a father to my child; he was the man I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. The day he was shot…he told me he loved me and I said I loved him. When he was brought to the cornier, something special was found in his pocket that afternoon. It was a wedding ring and on the inside it had this carved."

"_For once in my life I don't have to pretend I'm happy, with you I'm always happy. I love you, Michael"_

Sara placed the ring around her finger and smiled back toward the casket. There was one word to say and she knew exactly what it was. "…Yes…" She said placing the ring fully around her finger and held it up in the air.

Everyone began to clap and smiled as Sara stepped down from the podium. Sara walked down the thin aisle to find her seat next to Nicki and smiled. Nicki smiled back slightly before being escorted by the guards. She quickly glanced back and Jenny and Sara and knew at that very moment she made the right decision and that was all that mattered.

**5 years later…**

------------------------------------- Nicki -------------------------------- (5:03 p.m.) ----------------

Nicki looked across the room of her apartment back in Tipp City and smiled. She opened her lap top and opened a blank document. A small boy with dark brown hair continued to parade around the apartment with vibrant colored paper shaped into a crown around his head. A smile escaped Nicki as she began to type quickly yet efficiently.

"Devin Michael Burlow! I think you need to settle down…" Nicki pointed to the couch behind her and smiled.

"Yes mommy…" The young boy smiled and sat on the couch as directed by his mother and flicked on the TV.

The brunette continued to type faster until she finally completed her journal entry for that day. Ever since that day five years ago she never re-visited that folder of her computer. It was too painful. But now she had to face her fears and add a new chapter of her life:

"_Never regret anything that once made you smile. That is the philosophy I live by in this day and age. My life story has never come easy to write into words._

_Dani and LJ now live in a house just outside of Atlanta, Georgia. LJ pursued a job in a large oil corporation in the south. As for Dani, she stays at home with her two children. The oldest rightfully named Lincoln the third and a daughter named Kristine after me. _

_Sucre and Maricruz popped out two more children to now have a total of three. They continue to live in a Chicago apartment. Sucre works at a mill most days while Maricruz is going to school to become a nurse. _

_As for Sara you may ask. We still keep in touch from time to tome. She and Jenny hang out every day through rain or shine. They are now living in Michael's spacious place where they share past times with the man known as Michael Scofield. To this day you can still see the hurt hidden within Sara but she tries not to show it. She wears the diamond ring every day on her finger and never thinks twice about finding someone else. _

_I suppose that I'm the last one to be updated. I'm doing fine. The death of my two ex-boyfriends took a toll on my heart but everything is better now. A little over four years ago I gave birth to my son and have been a single mother since. I guess you can say that I never got over Michael or Mason for that matter but Devin is my life now._

_As for our lives now, we live them day by day…never knowing where the wind may take us…but there is one thing for sure…everyone learned the value of family and that is all that matters."_

Nicki starred at the document before saving it. She smiled and closed her lap top.

------------------------------ End of Chapter/ End of Book -----------------------------------------

A/N: Well, this is the ending of it all. I hope everyone enjoyed this book. I know it was a blast to write! I would appreciate any reviews of course. I appreciate all of you who have followed the book from start to finish! Thanks for all the hits and reviews I've received, it means the world to me.

As for me right now, I'm working on my new short story 'In the End' (check if out if you haven't already). From there I'm not sure where writing will take me. I'm planning on a third book as we speak but it isn't planned to come out for a couple weeks. For this book the only thing I know is it will be set in Sara's view rather than Michael which tends to happen more in my books. I'm glad to say the next one is sure to have more Michael and Sara romance which is always a good thing!!

Also, I would like to give the usual shout out to C and E!! I love you guys and miss y'all like crazy…

Thanks again for everyone who has read!!

It has been nice writing for you guys-

**Spacecoastbabe15**


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